Analytics, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation

Sudraba has observed that a large number of political documents are drawn up at the Cabinet of Ministers, without any follow-ups or practical application, writes LETA.

"Therefore, there are resources for producing all this. This is just one example to show that public administration is bloated. Second, we have very many small institutions, which are very expensive as such. The costs are incommensurate with the efficiency of the support functions they provide. This is also a result of doing as Europe tells us. Under the European Union regulations, every function requires an independent authority to perform it. For a small country, this is too expensive, irrational. It can definitely be proven to Brussels that the independence of implementing a function may be achieved without establishing an independent authority," notes Sudraba.

Sudraba also supports the principle that quality, qualified and competent work must be accordingly rewarded in the public sector. "There must be a system where every public servant and official is responsible for the results of their work. There must be a connection between remuneration and the result to be attained," explains Sudraba. At the same time, the system has to be changed so there are fewer authorities and fewer people working at these authorities. The government apparatus must also become more rational in terms of performing and administering its functions. This is a complex reform, says Sudraba, adding that she opposes mechanical wage rises.

In Sudraba's opinion, the uniform remuneration system in public administration has proven to be inefficient, because, from the very beginning, salaries did not correspond to the competences and qualities that the respective jobs required people to have, and the system was further distorted the past three years.

"Before that, there were strict rules prohibiting any kinds of bonuses, but in the past three years, bonuses for quality work have been introduced, even bonuses for performing a job, or for something else. Even though the very concept of paying for quality work is unacceptable and absurd to me. Because it is the main task for an employee to perform quality work. That is what they are paid for every month," says Sudraba.