Even simpler arrangement of affairs; even more transparent tasks and a public administration organisation tailored to them; public servants who are even more respected and professionally trained: these are the main directions which need to be maintained for further improvement of effectiveness in public administration.

The Ministry of Public Administration and Justice  summarised the implemented measures for development of public administration included in the Magyary Zoltán Programme for development of public administration (launched in June 2011), and the results so far. It also indicated the direction of further developments, included in the Magyary Programme 12.0, presented on 31 august. The Programme was presented by Tibor Navracsics, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration and Justice.

In his opening speech, Mr. Navracsics said that the aim of the Programme is the creation of the Good State – and so the attainment of public good – and the elimination of party and factional interests, so that the government of the day may work in the national interest.

Mr. Navracsics thinks that one of the most important virtues of the Magyary Programme is its self-appraisal and flexibility, which in contrast to former practice is not aligned with one absolute goal, but with continually changing circumstances in its mission to achieve aims such as public administration being an aid to competitiveness rather than a hindrance.  

The Minister stressed that the creators of the Magyary Programme had made great efforts to find its weaknesses and the differences between plans and realisation. In this way, self-appraisal is a strength, and the comparison of aims and achievements brings us closer to our original goals.

The reform process of the last two years has brought the effectiveness of the central government’s decision-making system to the forefront in European terms and without this it would have been impossible to implement changes such as those in education, healthcare, local government, public administration and the justice system. The Minister also sees the Magyary Programme as potentially defining a new era, in the sense that this could be the first Hungarian public administration reform, which the OECD could also ’patent’ and hold up as an example to other Member States.

The Magyary Zoltán Public Administration Development Programme is one of the important pillars of reform in public administration launched by the Government. The programme is closely linked to reform of the regional public administration and local government system, the reform of the justice system and the programme for elimination of corruption in public administration.

The programme identifies further necessary measures in four areas of intervention: further simplification of the organisational system of public administration; accountability and transparency of public administration tasks (the creation of a register of state tasks); the further simplification of public administration procedures and regulations, and making them more comprehensible (deregulation); and management of human resources in public administration.

For further information please see the attached document.

(Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)