Daniel Melzer, the transport and environment coordinator in the Ministry of Finance budget division has quit after eight years in the job. He has become the latest civil servant to quit due to the difficulty of working with the Ministry of Transport in the era of Minister of Transport Miri Regev.
Over the past three years, Melzer has been responsible in the Ministry of Finance budget division for Israel Railways, developing roads and managing transport demand. Under his authority various reforms were being conducted such as the five year program for improving public transport and the Greater Tel Aviv congestion charge, the form on parking fees, the development of railway operations, and the strategic plan for Israel's highways.
Over the past few months the departure of many senior civil servants from government offices has been attributed to work with Minister of Transport Miri Regev's office because the lack of professionals, and the exclusion of those who do exist, results in an absence of professional decision-making.
Last week, Shai Kedem, head of the Ministry of Transport's infrastructure division, one of the most senior and respected figures in the ministry, quit. Before that both Public Transportation Authority head Ran Shadmi, who was responsible for a NIS 12 billion budget, and Elias Matar, head of the Railways Division, both resigned. These departures followed the resignation of Israel Airports Authority CEO Hagai Topolansky, who claimed political interference in managing the ministry, and Metro authority legal advisor, Ya'ara Lemberger, both stepped down.
In contrast to these officials, Melzer was not subject to the Minister of Transport but according to sources work with the Ministry of Transport became "impossible."
A source familiar with the situation told "Globes" last week. "Decent professionals cannot survive, the atmosphere in meetings is difficult. If it was a normal employee-employer relationship and not an elected rank versus a civil servant, I would say that it is abuse in the most literal sense of the word."
Another source said, "Everyone is discouraged because of the unprofessional way things are being conducted. There is a closed entourage around the minister and her team is not connected to what is happening in the ministry and there is no way to reach them, everything takes time and the feeling is that they are available for anything."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on March 15, 2023.
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