Avi Ankuri informed the Southern firefighter of opening a designated fundraising account, in which 38,000 shekels were accumulated • Civil Service Commission: "Exploitation of authority and inappropriate behavior" • Ankuri denies: "Selective enforcement"
Chairman of the National Firefighters Association Avi Ankuri
Photo:
Dudi Vaknin
Father Ankori, chairman of firefighters national debate with Commissioner Fire and Rescue, and going to a disciplinary hearing. The State Commission claims that it was involved in the fundraising of fire fighters designed to help their leader - running for Firefighting and Rescue Commission.
Recently began Disciplinary Court for civil servants "The evidentiary phase of a lawsuit filed against Ankuri, in which it was alleged that between June 2016 and January 2017, Moshe Suissa, then commander of the Southern District in the fire brigade, was sued by the State Employees' Disciplinary Tribunal. Suissa then ran for fire and rescue commissioner Dedi Simchi. To. The lawsuit against Ankuri alleges that Southern District firefighters were "recruited" to assist him.
According to the lawsuit, Ankuri instructed the members of the National Secretariat, as representatives of the committee at the stations, to recruit the southern firefighters to assist Suissa in financing the legal defense in a lawsuit against him at the time, allegedly in violation of the Civil Service Regulations. A purpose is and not to collect or receive funds donated for any purpose other than to the state treasury or by virtue of its position. "
To that end, the lawsuit alleges, Ankuri assumed that a dedicated account would be opened for it, and that the donation could be made directly to the account or by transferring cash to committee representatives. It was also alleged against him that the donations were made through members of the National Firefighters Association Committee and the local committees at the various stations in the district.
It was also alleged that most of the fundraising was done in cash and was attended by Suissa's subordinates to varying degrees including senior staff. Thus, according to the lawsuit, NIS 38,000 accumulated in the account, which was transferred to Suissa's attorney. Some of the funds were transferred to the account directly from the National Firefighters Association.
The indictment accuses Ankuri of a prohibited fundraising that has a conflict of interest and abuse of authority and states that he violated the discipline of the civil service, behaved inappropriately and harmed the name and image of the civil service in the eyes of the public.
It should be noted that Suissa, who was convicted of failing to prevent the fundraising, was punished with a reprimand and a fine and retired. Ankuri denies the charges against him and claims through his lawyers, among other things, that he did not give a directive for fundraising and that this is "selective enforcement", since fundraisers for firefighters and commanders in the fire authority have become routine from day to day and that no one has updated firefighters.
When asked if he should not have suspended himself from office until the end of the legal proceedings against him, Ankuri replied to "Israel Today" that the presumption of innocence is to his credit.