煙草在線據以色列國家新聞網報道編譯　　在以色列財政部長亞伊爾·拉皮德(Yair Lapid)提出一項預算削減和增稅計劃的幾小時后，他簽署了一項命令，要求提高卷煙、卷煙煙葉和雪茄的價格。

　　這項在午夜開始生效的命令，使卷煙的價格每盒提高了2.5至3謝克爾。稅務機關指出，國家有望通過提價每年收入大約8億謝克爾。

　　這樣的提價可以由財政部長決定，而不需要引入新的立法，并且通常不會事先通知，以防止商家和顧客在提價前囤積商品。

　　5月7日提出的計劃中的其他措施，包括所得稅提高1.5%，預計將帶來超過40億謝克爾的稅收；增值稅提高1%，達到18%，以及對兒童的支援減少到每個孩子每月140謝克爾。

　　每個政府部門必須削減1%的職員，并且在2015年之前不再雇傭新的職員。外交部將削減5個國外辦事處。

　　拉皮德在談到預算削減計劃時說：“是的，這很難，我們知道這將很難做到，但當它真的發生時，情況還是不一樣。”

　　“削減預算很困難，人們很生氣，但是，這恰恰意味著承擔責任：明知山有虎，偏向虎山行，”他繼續說。

　　拉皮德說，提稅也沖擊到了新部門。“多年來第一次，以色列中產階級不再是唯一納稅的群體。這一次，我們做了以前沒人敢做的事情，那就是對公司征稅，對奢侈品征稅。”

Israel: Lapid Raises Cigarette Prices

　　Hours after he introduced a plan which includes budget cuts and tax increases, Finance Minister Yair Lapid signed an order calling to raise the prices of cigarettes, tobacco for cigarettes and cigars.

　　The order, which went into effect at midnight, sees the prices of cigarettes rising by 2.5 to 3 shekels per pack. Tax authorities indicated that the State is expected to see an income of about 800 million shekels per year as a result of the increase.

　　Such increases in prices can be decided upon by the Finance Minister without the need to introduce new legislation, and are usually announced without prior warning in order to prevent merchants and customers from stocking up on supplies before the price increase.

　　Other measures in the plan introduced on Tuesday include a 1.5% increase in income tax, which is expected to bring in more than 4 billion shekels, a 1% increase in the VAT, to 18%, and a reduction of child payments to 140 shekels per child per month.

　　Each government ministry will be required to cut their staff by 1%, and there will be no new hires until 2015. The Foreign Ministry will cut five foreign offices.

　　Lapid spoke about the planned budget cuts, saying, "Yes. It's hard. We knew it would be hard, but it's different when it actually happens."

　　"It's hard, people are angry. But this is exactly what it means to take responsibility: to do what is hard, knowing that people will be angry at you," he continued.

　　Taxes are now hitting new sectors as well, Lapid said. "For the first time in years the Israeli middle class isn't the only one paying the price. This time we went where nobody had dared to go before: tax on corporations, on luxury goods…" Enditem