MK Moshe Gafne, who serves as chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee, sent a letter to the Knesset Comptroller on Wednesday 10 Shevat informing him that he will not be taking the recently-approved raise for Members of Knesset.

In his letter he writes �in line with paragraph 51 of the Knesset regulations, I will not be taking the pay increase approved for 2016�. Shas MK Yoav Ben-Tzur announced earlier that he will donate the raise to tzedaka.

Last month, Shas party leader Minister Aryeh Deri stated that when he served as a cabinet minister there was no increase granted for ministers. He added it would be fitting for MKs to inform the comptroller they were not going to accept a raise despite the Knesset approval of the increase.

He added �The national poverty report was recently released and MKs and cabinet ministers have acceptable salaries. Under the present circumstances, it is not fitting to accept an increase in salary�.

(YWN � Israel Desk, Jerusalem)