Ram Belinkov during his tenure as Director General of the Ministry of Finance. A harsh attack on senior Finance Ministry officials and the political echelon (Photo: Reuven Castro)
Farewell ceremonies for senior officials are usually a dreary affair that includes farewell words and wishes for success, but the Ministry of Finance, which does not stop making headlines during Bezalel Smotrich's tenure, produced an unusual headline today during the farewell ceremony for outgoing Chief Economist Shira Greenberg.
This occurred when Ram Belinkov, who was the former director general of the ministry under former Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman, was invited to congratulate Greenberg, who spent part of her term under him.
"You were the only one who spoke when everything else was taken in the silence of the sheep," Belinkov complimented her, alluding not only to those who dared to speak, but also to her senior Treasury colleagues who preferred to remain silent in public, even though in closed conversations they harshly criticized the incumbent minister and the way he handled various issues, chief among them the budget.
Shira Greenberg, the outgoing chief economist of the Ministry of Finance – and apparently also the bravest of her colleagues in the ministry (Photo: Flash 90, None)
Deputy Finance Minister MK Michal Waldiger, who was present in the room, left it in protest and said: "It is inconceivable that this man would disrespect professionals like this."
It should be noted that Greenberg was one of the few voices who was not afraid to issue explicit and unequivocal warnings about the legal reform and the dangers it poses to the Israeli economy. It also published a study just last week stating that rewarding Avrahim for not participating in the workforce and avoiding core studies is a cry for generations.
By the way, Belinkov was not satisfied with the implied criticism of senior Finance Ministry officials, and also attacked the political echelon, saying: Some leaders sanctify ignorance."
In doing so, Belinkov continued the harsh and blunt line recently taken by the person who appointed him to the position, former Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who attacked the government – and especially its economic policy in light of the budget for the second year 2023-2024 – in blunt words.
- money
- news
Tags
- Ram Belinkov
- Chief Economist
- Ministry of Finance
