Trajtenberg to Knesset c'tee: Monopolies kill economy

Socioeconomic change c'tee chair says monopoly control of market leads to higher prices, lower availability to consumer.

By LAHAV HARKOV, JPOST.COM STAFF
Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg (photo credit: Mark Neiman / GPO)
Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg
(photo credit: Mark Neiman / GPO)
Committee for Socioeconomic Change chair Professor Manuel Trajtenberg outlined a number of recommendations to the Knesset Finance Committee on Tuesday, which he said would help improve the economic situation of ordinary Israeli citizens. The recommendations included imposing restrictions of monopolies and revamping the public sector.
Trajtenberg criticized what he called "the growingpowers of monopolies," which he said "lead to higher prices and lower availability for Israelicitizens."
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Trajtenberg criticized the functioning of the public sector, saying there is "over concentration andtoo many offices," and added that government allocated funds often stop short of helping the consumer and get caught up in "the filter of the public sector's care."
Trajtenberg stressed that the growing inequality seen by normal families as a "thin class of people get richer" has lead to a growing sense of injustice.
He also warned that citizens increasingly feel that state services "are not serving the citizen or listening to citizens," leading to feelings of "alienation."
Trajtenberg called for a "list of principles" to guide the Knesset in the coming years, starting with increased transparency.
The Finance Committee convened on Tuesday to discuss the Trajtenberg report, after the government was forced to delay a cabinet vote on the findings.
Knesset Finance Committee chair MK Carmel Shama (Likud) said that the delayed vote on the Trajtenberg recommendations allowed for the "possibility to make changes or additions to the [socioeconomic committee's] report."
Shama added that he would meet with Professor Trajtenberg at a later date to touch on all the details of the report where the Finance Committee would be responsible for creating and implementing government solutions.