Ministers are expected to be relieved of the burden of signatures and direct responsibility, as decision-making will be delegated to heads of directorates of various sectors. This is foreseen in a new draft law on the functioning of the state administration, which aims to transform the decision-making mechanism within ministries and subordinate institutions.
According to the Ministry of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption, the aim is to increase the efficiency and quality of work in the administration, by transferring responsibility to middle management levels. Except in cases where the law requires otherwise, or where the minister or secretary general expressly decides to bear responsibility themselves, the decisions will be signed by the relevant directors.
"The objective is to transfer decision-making to the middle management level of the institution, accompanied by increased responsibility and easing the added burden on the positions of minister or secretary general...", states the ministry's explanatory report.
With this initiative, the officials in charge will prepare the materials, propose solutions, and the director will sign the decision, either approving the proposal or changing it.
However, it remains to be seen whether this change will actually bring about improvements in public administration, or will only serve as a shield for senior officials. Because, although orders may no longer bear the signature of ministers, they remain the drafters and political leaders of the policies implemented by the ministries.
And in the event of a corruption affair, it will be the signing director who will be questioned by the justice system, not the head who gave the order "verbally" or who appointed the director.
The bill was likely a response to SPAK's recent crackdowns, which have led to the imprisonment or escape of quite a few former government ministers. Somehow, a formula had to be found to remove the fear of being shackled from those who will continue in their fourth mandate.
