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Gasparovic Signs Law Reducing Ministries From 14 to 12 as of July 1
Thursday 28 January 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, January 28 (TASR) - The number of government ministries in Slovakia will be reduced by two as of July 1, 2010, as President Ivan Gasparovic on Thursday signed a new law to this effect that Parliament passed after a heated debate on January 20.
The amendment to the law on the operational activities of the government and central state administration was fast-tracked and approved by 78 out of 150 MPs in the House. The Government's initiative in Parliament ran up against resistance from the Opposition.
According to the newly-adopted legislation, the Construction and Regional Development Ministry will be joined to the Economy Ministry, with the exception of the community works agenda, which will be transferred to the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry. Responsibility for drawing EU Funds will pass from the Construction Ministry into the hands of the Government Office. The State Fund for Housing Development will be transferred under the united Economy, Construction and Regional Development Ministry.
The current Education Ministry will be renamed the Education, Science, Research and Sports Ministry. The tourism agenda will become part of the Culture Ministry's responsibilities, with the setting-up of a Culture and Tourism Ministry.
According to Prime Minister Robert Fico, these steps should provide savings reaching up to €13.28 million a year.
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