State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman on Thursday appealed to government ministers and the director of the Government Companies Authority to withdraw NIS 2 billion in dividends from government companies, in order to use the sum for war expenses and for evacuees from the south and north who have been evacuated from their homes since the beginning of the "Iron Swords" war.
In a letter to the ministers and the Director of the Companies Authority, the Comptroller wrote, "In 2022, 11 government companies declared dividends totaling NIS 1.4 billion and announced their intention to distribute an additional NIS 600 million in 2023, i.e., a dividend distribution of NIS 2 billion cumulatively. Nevertheless, the aforementioned audit revealed that out of this total, only NIS 85 million was distributed from only one company. An examination by the State Comptroller's Office shows that as of November 08, 11, the distribution of dividends from government companies has not yet been completed, so that the balance of the dividend declared by government companies, which stands at close to NIS 2023 billion, has not yet entered the state treasury."
Engelman also addressed issues of staffing officials during the war and demanded a freeze on the replacement of senior officials in government companies until the end of the state of emergency. "During the war, it is worthwhile to avoid shocks in the senior management avenue and to maintain the managerial stability that exists in government companies whose activities have a broad impact on the Israeli economy," he wrote in his letter to the ministers.
These statements were written against the background of recent reports relating to the intention to replace senior executives at management levels in some government companies, such as the replacement of the chairman of the board of directors of the Israel Postal Company.
Engelman also clarified that the reality of the war emphasizes the need to appoint directors of the defense companies Rafael, IAI and Elat, and at the same time to extend the terms of those who are supposed to leave soon until the end of the war, in view of the special importance of continuous and proper functioning in these companies, which are essential from the operational-security aspect during the war.
As of today, in the three companies, the appointment of directors has not yet been completed, and the same is true for other companies whose ongoing activity is significant during the war, such as the Israel Electric Corporation, Mekorot, Israel Natural Gas Routes, Ashdod Port, and more.
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