While the Employers’ Consultative Association is welcoming certain aspects of the Budget, it believes an important topic was left unacknowledged.

In a statement, the Association says it had hoped to see a proposal outlining a clear timeline for reviewing and updating key labour laws.

It is now hoping to have this addressed during the Budget debate by the Labour Minister.

As for crime, the ECA says it concerned that there was little to reassure citizens on this issue.

There are also concerns regarding education – it says the Budget highlighted a significant deficit in numeracy and literacy skills within the population, and warns that failure to address these can severely limit the country’s future economic potential.

As for Budget positives, the ECA points to the allocation of interest-bearing VAT bonds and cash payments for SMEs by December 31st 2024, the latest Tax and NIS Amnesty, support for Agriculture, the Minimum Wage increase for public sector workers and the promise to begin negotiations for public sector wages for the period January 2020 to 2022.