The heads of Hungary's new district offices must be the embodiment of the state for citizens, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Monday.

The district offices – the most often used point of contact between citizens and the state - and their directors will take on a great responsibility, he said. It will be up to them to make sure that people really experience quality changes in public administration and demonstrate that the reformed state can fulfil all of the functions expected in the 21st century, he added.

The system will come into force on 1 January 2013, with 1198 district offices. The district offices – and a separate office for Budapest residents – will act as the organisational units of existing government offices. They will provide services which, up until now, have been partly performed by notaries and sub-regional bodies. Public service centres will also form part of the administrative districts which, by the end of 2013, will be transformed into customer-friendly and efficient one-stop service points. Of the office heads, eleven are currently mayors and seven are MPs. The appointed mayors must resign from their elected positions but MPs may retain their mandates until the next parliamentary election.

(Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)