Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the Finance Ministry management met today with representatives of the business sector and discussed the compensation outline being formulated. The meeting was attended by Chairman of representatives of the business sector Dubi Amitai, President of Manufacturers and Chairman of the Employers' Presidency Dr. Ron Tomer, President of Contractors Raul Serogo, President of Lehav Roy Cohen, Chairman of the Tax Advisors Association Yaron Gindi and others.
One of those present, Chairman of the Contractors Association, Raul Serogo, told Israel Hayom about the difficulties of the construction industry – since the outbreak of the war, most of the sites have been closed. "The industry is in one of its most difficult moments. We don't have 90,15 Palestinian workers. We were left with <>,<> foreign workers and the Israelis. Most of the construction sites were closed because the mayors prohibit construction because they fear friction between construction workers, say Israeli Arabs, and the residents, who want to maintain the residents' sense of security. I can understand this demand of ours, but it could bring down the industry."
Raul Serugu,
Serugu says he made it clear to the finance minister that the construction industry consumes half a trillion shekels in credit. "That means we pay NIS 130 million a day just in interest. This industry must not stop. If the industry stops as it is happening right now, then companies will collapse in the near term. If we don't work for another week, the companies will collapse."
Serugu went on to say that beyond the danger of companies collapsing, the construction industry must continue to operate because it will not worsen the housing crisis. Beyond that, he noted the security aspect: "Every apartment that is occupied – there is a family that vacates an apartment without a safe room and moves to an apartment with a safe room." At the same time, Serugu sought to define the industry as an essential industry that would work during the war. It should be noted that even during the COVID-19 period, the construction industry was defined as essential.
According to Serogo, the finance minister promised that an outline would be formulated for the continued activity of the construction industry together with the mayors and under certain restrictions such as security, keeping sites open, prohibiting Palestinian workers from working, and more.
Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The Minister of Finance informed the participants that he is working to finalize the formulation of the compensation outline and publish it as quickly as possible, and is doing everything possible to provide a comprehensive solution for reducing bureaucracies and barriers to a minimum, while providing an economic envelope for employers and employees and an intention to maintain an active economy. "Our job is to provide as much information and solutions as possible, in order to provide certainty to all the players and to protect the entire Israeli economy in all its wings."
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