The emergency ordinance regarding public administration reform allows personnel spending cuts carried out in 2025, both at local and central level, to be taken into account, Development Minister Cseke Attila said.

At a press conference held at the Victoria Palace, alongside Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, the minister presented the provisions of the emergency ordinance adopted on Tuesday evening by the Government regarding the reform of local and central administration.

'In terms of streamlining the structures of central and local public authorities, a mechanism is envisaged for local public administration authorities to reduce by 30 percent the number of staff in the working apparatus of the county council or of the mayor, with a 20 percent brake on occupied posts, which, according to our simulations, generates at national level a 10 percent cut in occupied positions - more precisely, 12,794 positions,' Minister Cseke Attila said.

He mentioned that based on the data collected through the prefect's institutions, there are 731 administrative-territorial units (UAT) which will not be affected by the reductions in occupied posts, which means that at least a quarter of the UATs managed their human resources correctly, balanced and efficiently, and do not need to reduce occupied posts.

'Alternatively to this reduction in positions, a 10 percent cut in personnel spending is allowed in 2026, but as of 2027 the first version becomes mandatory for all administrative-territorial units,' the minister pointed out.

According to him, a 25 percent reduction in posts is planned for the prefect's institutions, which, based on the figures in the system, generates a 10 percent reduction in occupied positions.

Regarding the central administration, he explained that, at national level, with the exceptions in the announced sectors, where compensatory measures will be implemented, including health, culture, defence and internal affairs, a 10 percent reduction in personnel spending is planned for all other government institutions, ministries and their subordinate bodies.

'If reductions were carried out in 2025, these will be taken into account when completing the procedure for the 10 percent cut in spending,' Minister Cseke Attila added.

Moreover, he explained that in both mechanisms, both at local and central authorities, the proposal in the emergency ordinance allows 'taking into account personnel spending cuts carried out in 2025, both at local level - if they were implemented, they will be considered - and at central level.'

'Both mechanisms are designed in such a way that they do not penalize an authority that has already implemented spending cuts in 2025,' he said.

The minister also provided details on the estimates regarding the total number of positions to be cut, at central and local level combined, in response to a question on the matter.

'Firstly, the personnel spending cuts or the reductions in positions must be implemented according to the legal procedures in force, so that by 1 June they take effect. This period, this deadline is stipulated in the emergency ordinance, taking into account the legal procedures which can be carried out through mechanisms which may generate personnel spending cuts or reduction in positions in the case of the reorganisation of local or central public administration authorities,' he explained as a preamble.

In terms of the positions eliminated at local authorities, the minister mentioned that this system generates '12,794 occupied posts reduced, also 26,802 vacant posts reduced, and a reduction in the number of personal advisers to elected local officials of 6,102 posts, totalling 45,698 posts.'

'As for the prefectures, there, the method is a 25 percent cut, which, based on the existing figures, generates a 10 percent reduction in occupied positions, that is 168 posts. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is mandated to establish the reduction procedure and determine which prefects' offices are affected. Regarding the number of advisers at central level, in the offices, this amounts to 192 positions,' the Development Minister added.

The financial impact of these measures is 1.6 billion lei for 2026, and from 2027, as these measures will apply or take effect over a full year, the impact will be 3 billion lei, the minister also mentioned. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Florea; EN - writing by: Rodica State)