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Opposition MKs won a small victory over the government Monday by pushing back the vote on the 2006 state budget by two days.
The budget was scheduled to go to a first reading and vote in the Knesset Monday afternoon. However, following the objections of several Pensioner and Labor MKs to the hike in the bread prices, the Knesset’s Interim House Committee decided to delay the vote to Wednesday.
While Kadima MKs shrugged off the delay, calling it a “generous gesture” to allow other parties to review the budget, others said it pointed to the weakness of Olmert’s coalition.
“It’s the first week in the Knesset and Olmert’s government is already coming apart at the seams,” said one Likud MK. “That’s what happens when you have a small coalition of the greedy.”
By law, the Knesset must approve the budget within 45 days following establishment of the new government, or the Knesset is dispersed and the country goes back to elections.