Prague, Feb 21 (CTK) – The state administration is paralysed due to the civil service law not enabling ministers to bring their close collaborators to the ministries and this should be changed, Czech PM in resignation Andrej Babis (ANO) told reporters after today’s cabinet meeting.
The cabinet debated possible changes to the law for about four hours and assigned Regional Development Minister Klara Dostalova (ANO) to discuss the intended changes with the European Commission.
Babis said he could not reveal further details of the changes.
He mentioned the possibility of inviting people from outside the civil service to the second round during open competitions. He also said the required length of practice could be decreased by one year.
He stressed that this was not a political move, objecting to claims that he was making a purge in the offices.
Within two December system reforms according to the civil service law, the number of staff was decreased by 23 in the civil service and by 49 outside the civil service, mainly in the Government Office, he said.
The law, which has been in effect since January 2015, was to help depoliticise the civil service and it was adopted by the previous cabinet due to the requirements posed by the EU, too.
The opposition criticises Babis’s plans on changing the law, claiming it is an effort of the ANO movement to get rid of inconvenient officials.