Ministry of Interior allowed municipal authorities to leave 6 essential senior positions • But dozens of them decided that the auditor was not essential • Ministry of Interior: "80% of interior visitors are still employed"

• Jezreel Valley Regional Council Photo: Gil Eliyahu / Ginny

Is it possible that the Interior Ministry itself has provided dozens of heads of municipal authorities with a breach that allows them to evade criticism under the Corona crisis? This troubling question hovers over the decision of more than 30 heads of government and chief executive officers to take compulsory leave on the heads of the municipal authorities they head, arguing that the critics are not essential workers.

The source of the alleged scandal in a list of essential officials in the authorities that the Interior Ministry is required to formulate following the Corona crisis. The list also includes seven senior authorities. The Interior Ministry allowed the authority's chiefs to select only six to be considered essential by the CEO, treasurer, legal counsel, education department manager, city engineer, veterinarian, and auditor. In response to Israel Today's appeal, the Interior Ministry responded that "the official responsible for determining our essential local authority jobs The head of the authority or the CEO ”.

This is how the "check and run" method works \\ Photo Archive: Shmuel Buchris

"It is an absurdity that the Home Office, which is supposed to be a regulator who oversees local government, lets the controlled party decide whether or not it is appropriate to receive an audit at the moment," says Attorney Tomer Naor, the attorney general for the government's quality government. Corners and violate the proper manager rules. What's more, the law requires visitors to submit audit reports. There is a concern that local government officials will take advantage of the Corona to drive away uncomfortable visitors. "

Accountant Einav Peretz, chairman of the Local Authorities Association, said: "I believe it is appropriate to issue a clear directive and unequivocal clarification from the Ministry of the Interior, which has repeatedly proven to be of paramount importance in the audit, that the auditor's role is defined in the law and is not subject to consideration. The opinion of the Director General of the Authority or the head of the Authority thereby preventing the abnormal situation and according to which the decision of the auditor's vitality is controlled. "

The Ministry of the Interior said in response that the reduction of manpower in the authorities was required by the Ministry by virtue of emergency regulations passed by the government.

It was also reported that despite the authority given to the heads of authorities and CEOs, "recently released data from the Visitor's Association Survey shows that despite reducing more than 70% of staff in the local authorities, 80% of internal auditors in the various municipalities are still employed as essential workers."