THE NUMBER of public sector employees in Slovakia was about 364,200 in the first half of 2006, a decrease of 13,000 compared to the first half of 2005, according to a Finance Ministry report.
The decrease was due mainly to layoffs at the local level, with cuts taking place primarily in elementary and secondary schools, the Hospodárske Noviny daily wrote.
Of the total number of public employees, 167,800 worked for central state bodies and 187,200 in local administration.
According to the ministry, the average monthly wage in central state bodies was Sk22,097, while local administration workers earned Sk14,951. In total the average monthly wage in public administration was Sk18,378.
The new Robert Fico government has promised to cut up to 20 percent of public service employees in an attempt to find money to cover its social spending promises.
