Before the special plenum session dedicated to  budget cuts, MK Yachimovich attacks decision to slash higher education funding: ‘Have you no shame?’

In his support of Lapid, Lieberman calls on MKs to take responsibility & shoulder burden by a 10% cut in salary. 

By Ynet

Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman, Avigdor Leiberman, called Tuesday on Knesset Members (MKs) to waive 10% of their salary and “lead by example in this difficult period.”

On the other hand, Labor Party Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich , who was elected Opposition Head, opened the plenum discussion with an onslaught of criticism on Lapid and his plans to slash higher education funding and raise tuition fees, asking Lapid: “Have you no shame?”. In response to the criticism, Lapid said: “If I though the student were going to be harmed… I’d protest against myself.”

In a Facebook status, Leiberman expressed support of the Finance Minister Yair Lapid, and clarified that all of the Yisrael Beiteinu faction members would support “any budgetary proposal which he (Lapid) will bring before the government.”

Opposition Head Shelly Yachimovich was not as supportive.

“Two minutes you’ve been sitting (in government) and who do you hit first, the very same people you premised to represent?” Yachimovich asked from the Knesset podium, quoting from the Yesh Atid platform: “‘Imagine that the Education and Finance Minster where from Shas ‘ and they decided target students, imagine what an uproar we would have heard here.”

“Look what you are doing, increasing inequality, hurting research, science, medicine, the army, technology, culture and anything else that that isn’t directly connected to survival, and turns Israel into a morally, culturally and intellectually vibrant society; in other words: Have you no shame?”

Some time before the special plenum discussion regarding the expected budgetary slashes, Lieberman added: “We believe that Lapid deserves the chance to implement the decisions which he believes are best for the Israeli economy and the citizens of Israel.

“There is no do doubt it is easier to be the one who gives advice than the one who must make the decision, and it is even easier to criticize. We do not act in such a way, hence we decided we are granting the Finance Minster our full support. ”

Yisrael Beiteinu’s chairman added that “all ministers and parties must hold the discussion regarding the budget in a serious and responsible manner, taking into account that not every demanded can be answered.

“In this regard I call on MKs to waive 10% of their salaries from now until the end of 2014.”

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