MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES NEW GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE

A new structure of the Government of Moldova, stipulating first and foremost the reduction of the number of ministries to 9 from the current 16 was approved by the Moldovan Parliament on Friday.

Prime Minister Pavel Filip said presenting the document to the Parliament that at the present moment there are 1,808 positions in the current government structure, of which 319 are vacant. In the framework of the reform, 542 positions, or 30%, will be reduced. In the reality however, only 223 posts will be reduced [542 - 319 = 223]. The restructuring should lead to a reduction of expenditures by 76 million lei a year, "so the Cabinet is to become more up-to-date, more compact and efficient".

Premier Filip said that transition period will take 3 months. At the initial stage, no new ministers will be appointed "because President Dodon is mounting certain barriers on our path. Due to his blocking, for instance, we cannot yet appoint a new minister of defense [since last December]".

In his words, incumbent ministers will be working until next winter, when the prime minister will decide about each minister, depending on their work efficiency. He remarked that the government structure will include also governmental Agencies, but they will be approved by the Parliament later on.

The new Government will consist of the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure; Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration; Ministry of the Interior; Ministry of Defense; Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences; Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection; and the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Protection.

The new government will have neither First Deputy Ministers nor Deputy Ministers. Instead of them, there will be a State Secretary General in the government as a whole, and State Secretaries in ministries. This measure is aimed at separating political functions, to be performed by the minister, from administrative functions, to be performed by the state secretaries.

Ministers will be appointed by the Parliament on the prime minister's proposals, and State Secretaries - on the results of open public contests. It is believed that ministers will be discharged with changes of governments, while state secretaries will be officials called to ensure continuity in ministries.

At the moment, there are 4 vacant ministerial positions in the Moldovan Government: two ministers were dismissed due to their going to other jobs, and the rest two are facing corruption charges.