A complaint was filed against Olmert in September 2004 by the Industry and Trade Ministry's employees union. The union claimed that Olmert and the Ministry's Director-General made illegal appointments, and took advantage of personal connections. Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss is preparing a report on the matter, though Olmert has already issued a denial.
The report is scheduled to be publicized within several weeks. Attorney General Menachem Mazuz will be asked to consider whether criminal charges should be initiated against Olmert. The Director-General of the Ministry at the time, Raanan Dinur, is also cited for having effected the appointments; he has denied any wrong-doing.
News of the Comptroller's report into the Olmert appointments was first reported today by investigative journalist Yoav Yitzchak on his Hebrew news website NFC. Yitzchak has been the first to report on several similar investigations into Olmert's activities over the past two weeks, and has raised questions as to why the other media have not followed suit.
Sources in the State Comptroller's office confirmed that the report is being prepared, but could not say whether it would be published before or after the elections. Yitzchak says that both the Likud and Industry and Trade Ministry workers want the report publicized as soon as possible.
The State Comptroller is readying a report on illegal political and personal appointments Ehud Olmert made while serving as Trade Minister. The Likud wants the report publicized before the election.
Minister Tzachi HaNegbi (Kadima) was recently indicted on similar charges of having made illegal appointments while serving as a government minister.
Employees in the Ministry complained in 2004 that Olmert and his men were "parachuting" outside workers into Ministerial positions, out of "external" considerations. The workers also said at the time that Olmert and his men were improperly intervening in tenders, at the expense of loyal long-time Ministry employees.
The report is scheduled to be publicized within several weeks. Attorney General Menachem Mazuz will be asked to consider whether criminal charges should be initiated against Olmert. The Director-General of the Ministry at the time, Raanan Dinur, is also cited for having effected the appointments; he has denied any wrong-doing.
News of the Comptroller's report into the Olmert appointments was first reported today by investigative journalist Yoav Yitzchak on his Hebrew news website NFC. Yitzchak has been the first to report on several similar investigations into Olmert's activities over the past two weeks, and has raised questions as to why the other media have not followed suit.
Sources in the State Comptroller's office confirmed that the report is being prepared, but could not say whether it would be published before or after the elections. Yitzchak says that both the Likud and Industry and Trade Ministry workers want the report publicized as soon as possible.
The State Comptroller is readying a report on illegal political and personal appointments Ehud Olmert made while serving as Trade Minister. The Likud wants the report publicized before the election.
Minister Tzachi HaNegbi (Kadima) was recently indicted on similar charges of having made illegal appointments while serving as a government minister.
Employees in the Ministry complained in 2004 that Olmert and his men were "parachuting" outside workers into Ministerial positions, out of "external" considerations. The workers also said at the time that Olmert and his men were improperly intervening in tenders, at the expense of loyal long-time Ministry employees.