One of the achievements of incoming Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has not been widely reported in the media, the allocation of NIS billions for the pensions of seniors from the Former Soviet Union, Lieberman’s primary voting base.

On Sunday night the eve of 15 Iyar Lieberman met with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon to discuss the plan, which is among the list of deal-breakers for Lieberman’s entry to the coalition.

During the past year, with the return of the chareidi parties to the coalition, Lieberman has been shouting about what he perceives the price tag of such an agreement, keeping the chareidim on board, however, it now appears that price tag is dwarfed by the cost of bringing Yisrael Beitenu into the coalition. In fact, Lieberman’s plan for pensions for seniors from the FSU will cost the state between NIS 1 and 2 billion annually. He wishes to make sure that every Russian immigrant who reaches retirement age is given a pension.

Lieberman’s plan addresses seniors who have no other income or government allowances, seeking to provide them with a minimum pension of no less than 70% of the minimum wage for a single and 110% for a couple, which amounts to an additional NIS 550 to NIS 1,320 monthly. That means one who would receive NIS 2,950 today would get an increase to NIS 3,500, referring to a senior with no other income from Israel or abroad.

A retiree with a pension of over NIS 2,650 monthly would be entitled to an additional NIS 1,320 shekels, hence 110% of the minimum wage.

These additional payments would not prevent the retirees from supplementing their incomes by working part-time without losing pension funds. The Lieberman plan would apply to any former FSU resident who immigrated after the age of 21 and worked a minimum number of years in Israel.

One of the other matters that is still being finalized pertains to matters of religion and state. The chareidim have demanded the establishment of a committee that will address such matters, seeking to prevent Lieberman and others from making unwanted changes in this area.

Likud and Lieberman want to see Likud Minister Yariv Levin head this party while Kulanu wishes to see its party minister, Avi Gabbai. The chareidim are simply interested in maintaining some type of veto party towards protecting religious interests in the coalition government.

Bottom line is that is appears Yaakov Litzman and Shas officials are welcoming Lieberman while Moshe Gafne and his Degel Hatorah litvish faction are less than pleased and quite concerned as Lieberman and Gafne during the last year have done nothing but exchange insults and accusations.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)