Lapid defends biennial budget in Knesset speech

After announcing last week that he wouldn’t deliver any more major addresses at the Knesset due to incessant interruptions from the opposition benches, and suffering hefty criticism for it, Finance Minister Yair Lapid was in the plenum again Monday to hold forth on the budget — and parliamentary oratory.

“I saw someone wrote that I don’t usually speak in the Knesset, which is why I took my first opportunity to speak in the Knesset, so everyone knows it’s nonsense,” Lapid said from the podium. “The opposition and Knesset must not be weakened. It’s important that the opposition have a chance to express an opinion either for, or against, the budget.”

Speaking in his capacity as finance minister, Lapid endorsed the idea of maintaining a biennial budget through the end of 2014 — but only due to the time constraints. A biennial budget doesn’t provide clarity on tax revenues or government expenditure, and it “paralyzes the Treasury and the economy,” he said, vowing to return to a one-year budget plan starting in 2015.

Throughout Monday, Lapid held several phone calls with Histadrut labor federation chief Ofer Eini in an effort to stave off a full-blown labor dispute over the government’s proposed austerity measures in the 2013-14 budget, Israel Radio reported.

As finance minister, Lapid has been tasked with advancing deep cuts meant to cover a shortfall of some NIS 40 billion ($11 billion) for 2012. The Histadrut, which has come out against cuts that will impact public-sector workers, has in the past brought the country to a standstill with debilitating general strikes.

Last Sunday, Lapid and MKs from ultra-Orthodox parties came to verbal blows over the proposed austerity measures.

Lapid, a former television anchor and columnist, is a first-time MK. He rose to political prominence after leading his Yesh Atid party to win 19 Knesset seats in the January elections.