In his visit to the Nógrád County Government Office, the Minister of Public Administration and Justice underlined the need to restructure regional public administration. Tibor Navracsics – who was inspecting the government office, and who also took part in a staff meeting – went on to say that there is a consensus among specialists in the field of public administration that the restructuring process is needed.

The state administration system which has emerged in recent years has become unsustainable, operating in a fragmented and inefficient manner. The Minister of Public Administration and Justice highlighted that regional government offices have also been created in order to be focal points for counties.

He said that in addition to local councils freely elected by citizens, there is also a need for government offices at regional level, the task of which is to represent aims at county and national level. Before the restructuring process, state administration was of little assistance to the country’s citizens. Instead of customer service there was often ‘customer avoidance’. He added that in the past public administration saw the public as a hindrance, and that although there had been several previous attempts at making state administration more efficient, these had not been successful.

Dr. Navracsics said that there is a need for the kind of public administration which serves the public.

The minister went on to speak of the ongoing reform of the career structure for government officials and the system for their promotion and pay, in order to make a career as a public servant a rewarding one in the future: this is proper, he said, as this work is one of the highest ethical duties in the service of the state and the entire nation.

Dr. Sándor Szabó, government deputy and director of the Nógrád County Government Office, spoke proudly of the fact that the first government office and public contact centre that the minister had visited was in Salgótarján. He said that although Nógrád County is one of the smallest counties in the country, he now feels that it will receive protection and support, and not be put in an unjustly disadvantaged position – as was often the case in the past.

He went on to say that the regional system of administrative bodies has up to now been complex, but that the launch of the restructuring process will make it possible to simplify the system and make it more comprehensible.

He said, ‘Through the restructuring process we are bringing public administration closer to ordinary citizens, the system of service provision is being simplified, and public administration will thus become speedier and less bureaucratic.’

(kormany.hu)