Miri Regev travels to Morocco: Who paid for the minister's trip?
The minister traveled to Morocco with the ministry's director-general, describing the trip as a private vacation. The Movement for Quality Government has filed a Freedom of Information request to determine whether public funds were utilized.
The Movement for Quality Government submitted a demand today, Thursday, to the Ministry of Transport, requesting the disclosure of documents regarding the travel approval for Minister Miri Regev and senior ministry officials to Morocco. The request, filed under the Freedom of Information Act, seeks to clarify the funding sources for the trip, which the minister's office has defined as private.
Minister Regev departed for Morocco on August 19. She was accompanied by senior officials, including Director-General Moshe Ben Zaken, Head of the National Public Transport Authority Idan Moalem, and a professional advisor.
The minister's office maintains that the trip, scheduled to conclude on August 24, is a private endeavor financed by the participants themselves. Despite this, the Movement for Quality Government is demanding a full passenger list, an expense breakdown—including receipts for flights, accommodation, and meals—and the itinerary of planned and executed activities. Furthermore, the movement has requested the legal opinion from the ministry's advisor who approved the delegation's departure, as well as the professional justifications for the employees' participation.
At the heart of the public debate is the question of whether public resources were allocated for the trip. Representatives of the movement stated they are willing to accept redacted documents to expedite the process.
Attorney Yael Bloch, manager of the movement's litigation department, emphasized that labeling the trip as private does not exempt the ministry from transparency requirements:
"When a minister, her director-general, and other senior officials travel together in the middle of summer, while there is chaos at Ben Gurion Airport, full transparency is required regarding the approval process, the purposes of the trip, and the sources of funding."
According to Bloch, official documentation must provide the public with a clear answer, as transparency is a fundamental condition for proper administration and public trust in state institutions.
