PM Ciolos: We must reduce administration incapacity of pursuing state interests

Prime Minister Dacian Cilos on Tuesday said that the administration's incapacity to pursue the interests of the state must be reduced, pointing out that there is much resistance to change in the system. 

"This change process isn't an easy one, especially as attempts to change the system encounter strong resistance, maybe also out of fear of the (...) unknown. We must also reduce the administration's incapacity to pursue the interests of the state, the frequently encountered ignorance on the efficient use of public money. We have many times the reflex of thinking that public money must be spent and that the main goal of the public worker is to execute the budget in the sense of spending it, but we still haven't the reflex to also see how efficiently the public money has been spent," Ciolos told a debate on Romania's development strategy. 

He believes that a key-element is the more efficient management of state-owned companies based on the corporate governance principle. 

"Beyond the budget allotments, beyond the fiscal policy, a resource the state hasn't sufficiently capitalised on is represented by the state-owned companies. We still haven't got a coherent and long-term vision in all sectors of what we want to do with these companies which are resources of the state and which (...) in key-areas can act as key-factors for stimulating the development of the respective areas - I am thinking about energy, transport, natural resources exploitation. The coherent, efficient management of state-owned companies through a performing management, corporate governance represent an important goal for this government and I hope it remains a goal for the governments to follow," the Prime Minister said. 

The chief of Government showed that the Economy Ministry has started a consistent change process, meant to define the expectations of the state from its own companies and which includes the professionalisation of the administration boards. 

"We should avoid seeing the administration boards as sinecures for a public worker or another and think of competent, performing people to entrust clear mandates to when they represent the state in these boards," Ciolos added. AGERPRES