THE CENTRAL government has decided that it will close its regional administrative offices on October 1, 2007.
This decision, approved on February 28, would transfer the administrative offices' property and employees into the care of the local regional governments and some of the employees will be retired, the SITA news agency wrote.
The number of civil servants in Slovakia should be reduced by 150 employees, but the government says that the cancellation costs will exceed savings by approximately Sk2 million in the first year.
"It is important that the government start reducing bureaucracy," PM Robert Fico said.
He admitted, however, that his Smer party's efforts to also close specialized regional offices, such as local statistical offices, will probably fall through as Smer's ruling coalition partners are against it.
Compiled by Martina Jurinová from press reports
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