| MPs discuss administration downsizing |
| 2 November 2009 | 10:39
| Source:
B92 |
BELGRADE --
Members of the Serbian parliament have started a debate today on draft laws on maximum number of employees in the state and local administrations.
The drafts envision that about 8,500 employees in this sector would lose their jobs.
The opposition has been criticizing the proposed laws, while the administration, judiciary and social organizations independent union has submitted numerous amendments.
The law proposes a decrease in the number of employees by 2,224 for an indefinite amount of time and another 560 for a specified amount of time.
The draft law on the number of employees in the local administration proposes that 5,648 jobs ne axed.
Vlajko Senić of the ruling G17 Plus says that even though the state will have to spend on severance money, the budget savings will be significant.
“The government had two options – to increase VAT and in that way make up for the budget deficit or to decrease expenditures,” stated Senić.
The opposition has been criticizing the proposed laws. Jorgovanka Tabaković of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) announced a large number of amendments and a heated debate.
“The unbelievable politically motivated administration increase during the past few years will now have to be paid for by the employees likely in the bad books of those who are supposed to carry out political orders,” Tabaković says.
“There is no care about the citizens, employees, or the state budget here. Those are measures defined superficially and irresponsibly under pressure. And the most important thing is that there are no results whatsoever.”
The union of the state administration employees has submitted numerous amendments to all parliamentary groups.
Union leader Njegoš Potežica says that it is necessary to establish a second-instance committee in the process of the evaluation of the workers – which will be a criteria for sacking people from their jobs.
He is also requesting that the number of the employees in the local administration should be five rather than four clerks per one thousand citizens.
According to Potežica ,there is also the issue of severance pay – he was quoted as saying that the nominal amount has to be the same for employees at the state and local level.
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