MK appointed for finance minister, if Netanyahu joins government, referred to choice • "Prime Minister wanted someone in his economic head"

• Nir Barkat // Photo: Coco

"Tel Aviv should not get like Kiryat Shmona, differential budgeting is required," MK Nir Barkat, who is appointed finance minister, said yesterday if the Likud wins the upcoming elections.

Barkat spoke to senior executives in the economy yesterday when he hosted the extended presidency of the Tel Aviv Chamber of Commerce.

According to Barkat, "We should not attack Tel Aviv, but at the current rate it will collapse into itself. Demand should be generated in the periphery, and thus the load will fall from the central region."

Barkat, who noted that Netanyahu "was important for the next finance minister to be from the Likud, his economic head," he added that he supports the transition to direct support for farmers instead of indirect subsidy. However, it does support the current egg quota policy.

On the housing issue, Barkat expressed support for removing most of the land from the Israel Lands Authority. He said, "The state should stop managing and only serve as a regulator. Local government and the private sector will know how to generate demand."

On the issue of barriers, Barkat said it would require each ministry to explain why stricter regulation is needed than in Western countries. "The business people and the business sector are the clients of the government and the Knesset," he explained. "I will check with the regulator why not facilitate business as is customary in the world." Barkat expressed confidence that following the fall in GDP to the 60% region, "we have enough flexibility to bring the country to the right growth."