State comptroller ‘regrets’ MKs’ attempts to curb his powers
Ombudsman slams bill, shelved by ministers on Sunday for a month, to limit his authority
State Comptroller Yosef Shapira on Tuesday said he “regretted” efforts by coalition lawmakers to limit his authority through Knesset legislation.
“Everyone who tries to divert the discussion… is only misleading the public, and I regret the attempt just two days ago to fatally impair the authority of the state comptroller as the most significant gatekeeper,” said Shapira.
The national ombudsman was referring to a bill, shelved for a month by a ministerial panel on Sunday, designed to rein in his oversight powers.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Jewish Home MK Bezalel Smotrich, would prevent the comptroller from criticizing the executive branch’s ongoing decision-making process, limiting him to commentary on past decisions and conduct.
Under Smotrich’s proposal, the comptroller would no longer have the authority to order state bodies to address shortcomings detailed in his investigations or issue followup reports to ensure problems had been addressed. He would also lose the ability to open investigations at his own discretion.
The shelving of the bill came two days before the ombudsman released a report critical of a right-wing NGO formerly headed by Smotrich. The Jewish Home MK denied any connection between that criticism and his proposal.
“The attempt to link the comptroller report published today to my position regarding his job and authority and the bill I’m advancing is an unfounded conspiracy,” the Jewish Home lawmaker said in a statement on Tuesday.
On Sunday, after Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and other cabinet members expressed opposition to the measure, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked decided not to bring it to a vote.
According to Hebrew media reports, Kahlon urged the committee to vote on the bill during the weekly meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, the cabinet panel for fast-tracking bills, in order to kill the initiative.
Kahlon and his Kulanu party have already announced their objection to the legislation, while opposition parties strongly criticized it.
“This government continues looking after only its own interests. This time, the state comptroller is the target,” Labor party chairman Avi Gabbay said earlier this week.
Smotrich maintained the comptroller has too much power and his investigations drain resources.
During Sunday’s ministerial committee debate, he told committee members that the office “wields too much power” over the executive branch.
