Free Republic

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party began its preparations for a Europe without Angela Merkel on Monday with the launch of its new vision for May’s European Parliament elections. Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer appeared as head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which for once looked happy to present a united front with its Bavarian partners, the Christian Social Union (CSU). […] The key note of the afternoon was clear: the European People’s Party (EPP), the center-right European parliamentary group that the CDU/CSU belongs to, is the only guarantor of stability in the European Union. To underline this, [Manfred] Weber drew attention to...

German police have said a package containing explosives was delivered to Germany's Finance Ministry. Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office has seized and destroyed the package. No injuries have been reported.

State won't renew software agreement with Microsoft The government is looking for a cheaper alternative to the three year licensing agreement signed with Microsoft in 2001. Gal Nissim 13 Oct 03 17:24The Ministry of Finance will not renew the agreement for the use of Microsoft products by government ministries, on the grounds that the price offered by Microsoft is too high. The ministry says cheaper alternatives are being examined. Through the Accountant General, the Israeli government signed an umbrella agreement with Microsoft giving government ministries the right to use the company's products in return for annual payments. The products concerned...

Finance Ministry plans to raise water rates, cut health basket Other measures in the 2004 budget include a deep cut in defense spending. Zeev Klein 8 Sep 03 17:38It's now official: the 2004 budget deficit target will be raised 1% to 4% of GDP, amounting to NIS 20.5 billion. In order to meet the new deficit target, Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu proposes a NIS 10 billion budget cut. The main measures proposed by the Ministry of Finance are as follows: Cutting the Ministry of Defense budget by NIS 3 billion. The cut has not yet been approved. Prime Minister...

Netanyahu withholds NIS 37m from PA for unpaid sewage bills This is the first time the Ministry of Finance has withheld tax payments to the Palestinian Authority for unpaid sewage treatment bills. David Hayoun 10 Mar 03 16:16Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu made his first operational decision yesterday since taking office. Sources inform “Globes” that he signed an order withholding NIS 37 million from tax payments to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for unpaid sewage treatment bills. The Ministry of National Infrastructures recommended the measure. This is the first time the Ministry of Finance has withheld money from the PA for...

Sharon mulls offering Netanyahu finance portfolio Benjamin Netanyahu will probably reject the offer, claiming the job cannot be carried out without the prime minister’s support. Stella Korin-Lieber and Yoav Yitzhak 6 Feb 03 16:03Sources inform “Globes” that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is considering appointing Minister of Foreign Affairs Benjamin Netanyahu as Minister of Finance. Netanyahu has reportedly rejected the idea in talks with his aides. Netanyahu said, “It’s illogical for me to accept the post, since I’d clearly be doomed to failure.” He told his aides that the job of minister of finance in general, and in Israel’s current situation...