These achievements are beginning to give us encouraging signs regarding certain improvements in two problematic areas that the economy faces: •  The public sector debt burden. This, one of the biggest problems in the Israeli economy, fell to about 88 percent of GDP compared to 97 percent at the end of 2005.
This is a remarkable achievement, but it is important that we continue along this path to bring the ratio down to 60 percent of GDP – the ceiling set by the Maastricht treaty – and after that, to bring the ratio down even further. •  Poverty, a major topic of public debate in Israel.