The upcoming elections will be costly, an estimated NIS 3.5 billion, officials are reporting. Election Day will cost the taxpayer NIS 400 million, with half of that sum allocated towards setting up and running polling stations. The remainder is allocated to permit the parties running in the race to air election campaign adverts and infomercials.

According to the heads of the Israel Manufacturer’s Association, that is “small change,” explaining Election Day will cost an additional NIS 1.4 billion, not including lost orders. Other experts predicting the day will cost the economy at least an additional NIS 1 billion.

For the private sector, factories and many other businesses, the day is a paid holiday. In the public sector, it will cost an estimated NIS 430 million. The business sector estimates costs at NIS 970 million.

Economists state however that a lost day will cost the Israeli economy NIS 3.5 billion, the daily Yisrael HaYom reports.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)