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Last update - 15:14 25/08/2008
Ex-president Katsav denied request for lavish office, luxury car
By Zvi Zrahyia, TheMarker Correspondent
Tags: moshe katsav 

Accountant General Shuki Oren on Wednesday announced that the state would not provide former president Moshe Katsav the luxury car and extravagant office he requested, and that would have cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of shekels a year.

Katsav, who faces a litany of sex crime charges including possibly rape, on Monday had asked the Finance Ministry to subsidize a black Audi A6, worth roughly NIS 300,000, along with a 150 square-meter office in Tel Aviv's Azrieli tower.

Oren said that the ministry will provide Katsav an office at one of the governmental buildings in Tel Aviv or find a modest short-term rental for him.
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Katsav, who has ve is entitled to all the conditions and benefits of any other former president until he is convicted in a retrial. Existing regulations would revoke the benefits only after he is convicted of a felony.

Former presidents receive from the state a yearly stipend worth approximately NIS 1.175 million, meant to pay for housing, office space, a car and driver, and personal assistants.

Oren instructed the President's Residence - which is responsible for arranging benefits for former presidents - that arrangements made for Katsav should be short-term, so they can be cancelled with little notice if necessary.

Katsav's request for a luxury sedan and lavish office space drew much criticism in the Knesset.

Knesset Ethics Committee Chair Haim Oron has called for the Finance Committee to meet next week with the intention of revoking Katsav's perks until a retrial date is set.


Related articles:
  • Katsav to Treasury: Give me a luxury car, lavish Tel Aviv office
  • Katsav attorneys downplay complainant's polygraph test
  • Until convicted, Katsav entitled to state benefits
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      1.   Thank you, Shuki Oren 21:00  |  Nehama 09/07/08
      2.   The entitlement 21:02  |  Brod 09/07/08
      3.   As a German ... 21:09  |  Axel 09/07/08
      4.   moshe, quit being so humble! 21:59  |  samantha from 09/07/08
      5.   chutzpah! 22:05  |  mark 09/07/08
      6.   Good. now show him his new cell with toilet! 22:14  |  Baruch Gold 09/07/08
      7.   As a German ... 22:46  |  Axel 09/07/08
      8.   What Arrogance from a one-time immigrant from Iran 23:34  |  dirtydozen 09/07/08
      9.   Just do not provide him with female assistant 00:11  |  Inyaki 10/07/08
      10.   Car and assistant 01:16  |  Judge 10/07/08
      11.   At least give him a doll a Yisgadal 01:41  |  office? off his rock 10/07/08
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