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Fico: Some Degree of Bureaucracy Is Unavoidable for State to Function
Friday 15 January 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, January 15 (TASR) - The state cannot function without a degree of bureaucracy and "let's not create the illusion that it can," said Prime Minister Robert Fico on Friday following an extraordinary session of the Government.
Fico had been asked how many staff will be laid off if Parliament okays a Government-approved initiative to terminate the Construction and Regional Development Ministry and the Environment Ministry, and transfer their portfolios to a newly-created Economy and Construction Ministry and a new Agriculture, Environment and Regional Development Ministry.
According to Fico, the move should bring a cut in the number of administrative personnel working for the two ministries concerned.
The measure should come into effect as of July, which means that the new Cabinet following the general election will be set up based on the new structure. Fico noted that the Coalition partners have agreed on the need to cut the number of ministries, so the path to pushing forward the initiatives in Parliament is expected to be smooth.
Fico also called the move an important measure aimed partly at offsetting the loss in state-budget revenues resulting from the Government-approved proposal to cut excise-tax on diesel by 11.3 cents per litre. "The cut in the number of Cabinet members from 16 to 14 is a very successful move," said the premier.
The Government also looked at a proposal to merge the Health Ministry with the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry. Fico noted that this initiative failed to gain support in the Cabinet, and was also rejected by the tripartite. "There's no reason to go for it if there's no interest in it," he said.
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