The central public administration reform should include first of all a component concerning the quality of human resources. Now the salaries of functionaries are low and the well-trained specialists do not stay long in public institutions. The public posts should be filled based on merits, not on political criteria so as not to allow politicians with interests to become involved and the public service becomes a powerful one. Such opinions were stated in a public debate staged by PAS Youth at IPN.
Ex-minister of education Maia Sandu, leader of the Party “Action and Solidarity” (PAS), said that when persons are promoted to posts in public institutions not according to merits and knowledge, but according to the loyalty to the ruling party, everything is compromised. The low salaries in public institutions are another problem as well-trained people do not remain to work long in the system for this reason. They work for several years and anyway leave after investments are made in their training. There are also devoted people who stay, but they have to identify one more source of livelihood.
Making reference to her experience in the Ministry of Education, Maia Sandu said she would have managed to do more and better with 50% of the then employees given that their salaries were raised from the pays of those who left.
The ex-minister noted the public functionaries are those who make long-term plans, but there are the interests of the politician who usually have a shorter term in office and more specific objectives. This situation causes tensions because the politicians invoke that they are elected by the people and enjoy support. If the politicians were better-intentioned and sufficiently intelligent, the public functionaries could help them more to prepare decisions that would contribute to fulfilling the electoral promises. In these conditions, it is very important to have a powerful public service because the powerful institutions diminish the negative impact of the coming to power of less responsible politicians. A solid public service reduces risks and increases the chance of better-intentioned politicians.
Ion Gumene, program director at the independent think tank “Expert-Grup”, said everything depends on the political culture and culture of the politician. In the EU member states, they clearly differentiate between a long-term public functionary and a politician holding a public post. In Lithuania, the public servants are tested by an independent agency and obtain a document valid for three years, based on which they can find employment in state institutions. In Moldova, the public institutions are polarized because the parties that come to power tend to control as much as possible.
The moderator of the debate, PAS Youth member Adrian Balutel said similar panel debates will be held to discuss the formulation of public policies in order to inform the people and to make the authorities more responsible.
