Israel won’t need to raise taxes – Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman

“We received’t want to extend taxes to cut back the nationwide deficit or finance its infrastructure initiatives,” Liberman, talking in Hebrew, informed Submit editor-in-chief Yaakov Katz on the convention.

Nonetheless, sure taxes can be raised to serve completely different financial targets.

“As we speak, the actual property market is on hearth, and we have to cool it off,” he stated, including that elevating buy taxes could be like pouring chilly water available on the market.

As well as, a plan to almost double taxes on plasticware is meant to cut back the utilization of disposable utensils right here.

Plastic spoons and forks are seen in Kiev July 18, 2012 (credit score: GLEB GARANICH/REUTERS)

“Plastic use right here is 4 occasions greater than within the European Union,” Liberman stated. “This is able to be a instrument for public coverage, not for the aim of elevating taxes.”

The finance minister expressed confidence that Israel’s finances can be handed by the Knesset earlier than the November 14 deadline.

“There are a lot of challenges, however I’ve little doubt the finances will go,” he stated. “That is probably the most social and revolutionary finances in reminiscence. There has not been a finances with 42 vital reforms and structural adjustments. And this from a authorities that has existed solely 4 months.”

Liberman dismissed assaults on the finances plan made by the Likud.

“The job of the opposition is to criticize,” he stated. A very powerful factor is that the federal government passes the finances and may operate correctly, he added.

“Coalition politics shouldn’t be a pleasant social membership. There are robust disagreements between the events, however there aren’t any conflicts. Every minister has to concentrate on their job, and never on others. We will’t be just like the earlier authorities, the place the prime minister tried to inform everybody what to do.”

Liberman stated the financial system is recovering shortly. There’s enchancment within the main parameters of bank card exercise, the monetary efficiency of publicly-traded Israeli firms, Israel’s stability of funds and tax collections, he stated, including that Israeli firms have raised greater than $120 billion on US markets.

“A very powerful factor is to not shut the financial system once more” to cease coronavirus an infection charges, Liberman stated. “Final yr, we stated this was a foul concept, and this has now been confirmed.”