BASIC OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES OF THE REFORM

2. BASIC OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES OF THE REFORM

Public administration reform is a long-term process the objective of which is to significantly change the existing orientation, structure, functioning and efficiency of public administration of the Czech Republic. To be successful, the reform must be based on the definition of the main reform objectives, a comprehensive reform concept and clear principles of the reform process.

2.1 What Kind of State and Public Administration Do We Want ?

Discussions concerning the desired future vision of Czech society and state have as yet not resulted in majority consensus. The main political forces are in agreement as regards full adherence to parliamentary democracy, a state ruled by law, the defence of fundamental human rights and freedoms, the support of economic reforms to improve the overall efficiency of Czech economy and the need to integrate the Czech Republic in the European Union. Conversely, there is no full agreement on what the regulatory role of the state in changed conditions should be. Analyses have shown that arguing whether the state should be "big" or "small", or "weak" or "strong" fails to address the right question. We need a state that functions well, reacts flexibly and adequately to the changing requirements of the time, and is efficient. We need public administration whose quality is a distinct factor of international competitiveness of the Czech Republic, a factor that attracts both domestic and foreign investors rather than discouraging them. We need public administration that is highly dedicated to social and economic advancement of the country and the protection of the rights and security of its citizens.

2.2 Objectives of the Reform

It is obvious that in the course of the next few years the requirements imposed on public administration activities as well as the external and internal conditions of its functioning will continue to change. However, already at present it is possible to refer to the results of existing analyses and international comparisons and identify with relatively great accuracy both the principal shortcomings and the neuralgic points of Czech public administration and the nature of the desired changes. The principal positive development trends, which can be formulated as reform objectives, are the following:

(1) Orientation on the Citizen and Further Democratization of Public Administration

The objective of the reform is to achieve that Czech public administration will act primarily as a service to the citizens and undergo further democratization. It is necessary to ensure its orientation on the needs of the citizen and the public, to bring administration closer to the citizen, to provide the citizen with better information, to communicate and cooperate with the public, to listen to the public and to increase control of public administration by the public. It is necessary to cultivate the legal environment in public administration, to support the growth of legal consciousness in the Czech Republic and to improve the protection of human and civil rights. It is necessary to further decentralize public administration, to create the regional tier of territorial self-government and to strengthen the role and financial resources of the self-government in the exercise of public administration.

(2) Achievement of European Standards of Public Administration

The objective of the reform is to raise public administration of the Czech Republic to current European standards in every respect. It must be able to adopt and enforce the acquis communautaire, i.e. the compendium of EU law binding for all EU members and superior to national law. It must ensure the participation of the Czech Republic in the implementation of EU structural, social and other policies. It must apply the methods of administration and information and communication technologies of information society. It must be adequately linguistically prepared for cooperating with EU bodies and the public administration of particular EU member states. It must adopt and implement the following administrative values defining the "European Administrative Space": reliability, transparency, predictability, accountability, adaptability and efficiency. These values must be embedded in administrative institutions and processes at all levels and their application must be checked by a system of independent controls, the courts and the Parliament.

(3) Professionalization of Public Administration

The objective of the reform is a high professional standard of professional public administration, which must be expressed in the quality of work, the results achieved and the services provided, enhanced administrative culture, ethical conduct and political neutrality. The establishment of a professional civil service and the creation of an effective system of life-long learning concerning all public administration employees are key prerequisites of professionalization.

(4) Efficiency of Public Administration

The objective of the reform is efficient public administration. It is necessary to aim public administration activities at clearly defined targets and results, ensuring that the costs of administration are proportionate to the results and that improving productivity and searching for real savings become a standard and duly appreciated part of the activities or all public administration bodies and their employees.

2.3 Approach to Reform Implementation

Public administration cannot be reformed in a few years. It is a long-term process, which probably can be implemented only by several consecutive governments in a difficult, highly competitive and rapidly changing external environment. Thus it is not possible (and it would not be reasonable) to attempt to provide a detailed outline of the content and procedure of the whole reform at the very beginning. While some reform steps have been relatively clear from the outset, others will necessitate more profound analyses and discussions of the desired solutions. Apart from the principal objectives of public administration reform listed above it is necessary to reach consensus on the following principles which will govern the whole reform process:

widely disseminating information on the reform and mobilising interest of citizens, professionals, political representatives and civil servants in making the reform happen and democratically exchanging opinions on its desirable and feasible course,
basing the reform on solid professional analyses of the present state and performance of public administration and on periodic evaluation of the consequences of completed reform steps,
using experience with public administration reform in other countries, particularly in EU member states and in the countries preparing for accession to the EU, while respecting our own tradition and experience,
adopting a comprehensive approach to the reform: no isolated and partial changes should be implemented if not conceived as integral and organic parts of the total reform strategy and process,
viewing the reform as an open process: individual reform components will be continuously updated and adapted to the changes in the external environment of public administration and in other components of the reform, and will utilize experience acquired during implementation,
determining strategic priorities: a limited number of priority changes will have to be defined for every reform phase on which attention and funds will have to concentrate; these should be the changes that predetermine the overall progress of the reform and condition or influence all other changes,
assuring continuity of the operation of public administration, which must continue to function also in the course of reorganization, decentralization and other changes,
managing and coordinating the whole reform from a single centre at the highest level of Government.

2.4 Current Priorities

The following priorities appear to be most important in the current period:

completing and adopting a reform strategy,
mustering political and public support to the reform,
establishing an effective system for managing the reform,
implementing changes connected with the preparations for EU membership,
decentralizing state administration and reforming territorial administration,
launching the reform of key processes in public administration,
adopting a Civil Service Act and starting to reform human resource management and development.

Completing and Adopting a Reform Strategy

As a first step, the overall strategy of public administration reform suggested in this document should be developed in greater detail. This should be supplemented by detailed reform implementation plans for the next 2-3 years. The Government should adopt the strategy and declare it officially in a way that duly reflects the significance of the reform for the future of the Czech Republic.

Mustering Political and Public Support to the Reform

In the nearest phase of the reform it will be necessary to gain a strong support of political circles, the general public and the public servants themselves. The reform should be promoted through an explanatory, information and public relations campaign in mass media, by means of information materials, in professional events and training courses, etc. Of key significance for this campaign will be a plain and convincing explanation of the significance, meaning and principal objectives of the reform.

Managing the Reform

A functional and efficient management structure responsible for the conceptual design and implementation of the reform as a whole ought to be established as a matter of priority (see Chapter 11). At the same time, it is necessary to start using appropriate non-bureaucratic forms and procedures for informing on the reform, and discussing and exploiting new ideas in cooperation with the general public and professional circles as well as within public administration.

Implementing Changes Connected with the Preparations for EU Membership

The changes connected with the preparation of the Czech Republic for the membership in the European Union (see Chapter 3 and following chapters) have been launched. Maintaining (and in some cases increasing) the pace of these changes represents the necessary prerequisite for accession within the time horizon pursued by the Czech Republic (2003).

Decentralizing State Administration and Reforming Territorial Administration

In the context of the Czech Republic, decentralizing the exercise of state administration, developing self-government and shaping up the relations between state administration and self-government range among measures that have been long delayed and, therefore, command highest priority from a strategic perspective. The first step has been taken by adopting the Act on Higher Territorial Self-Government Units (regional self-government). It is necessary to finalize the solutions concerning the extent and forms of decentralization, the division of competences, the methods of exercising state administration and self-government and their mutual relationships, the required changes in the financial system, etc. Moreover, the territorial administration reform is closely connected with all other reform fields and will strongly influence the changes of competences and methods of operation of the central Government authorities (see Chapter 4 and further chapters).

Launching the Reform of Key Public Administration Processes

The Proposals envisage a gradual reform of a number of key generic cross-functional processes whereby public administration exercises its functions. As a rule, a number of different public administration units participate in each of these processes. Reforms commanding priority include the start of the reform of strategic management and policy making, the management of the public sector and the administration of public property, administrative procedure, communication with the citizens and public administration finances (with particular reference to territorial administration reform). The reforms of further processes must be prepared for successive launching in the course of public administration reform (see Chapters 5 and 6).

Adopting a Civil Service Act and Starting to Reform Human Resource Management and Training

The new status of the civil service expressed primarily by the adoption of a Civil Service Act based on both our own and European experience, is generally considered to be a major current priority owing to the significance of a competent and motivated civil service for all reform efforts in public administration (Chapter 9). It ranks high among EU recommendations. Therefore the finalization of the Act, its adoption and the start of its practical application have to be addressed urgently. Another priority consists in short-term training of public servants in matters of reform objectives and methods and the preparation for EU membership. To fill a major gap in the Czech public administration system, a national institute of public administration will need to be established and a comprehensive system of life-long training of public servants developed and implemented.

This particularly neglected field is by far the most important one for the future of Czech public administration and for the general reform strategy. It deserves the greatest attention, although, or rather because, it cannot be radically upgraded by a single or a few visible ad-hoc measures with immediate results. The achievement of the desired standard will require time, patience and perseverance. Therefore, the reform must differentiate between urgent measures and changes, and the changes which will have to be pursued successively. It will be important to treat practically-oriented improvement of qualification and personal efficiency as an integral part of all reform processes and measures. Education and training must be used as key reform tools.

2.5 Time Horizon of the Reform

The Proposals has taken into account that some reform activities are already under way or in the stage of advanced preparations, while others still require a more profound analysis and search for the best solution. The strategy must harmonize all aspects and areas of the reform in terms of both content and timing. For this purpose it is proposed to work with a master time schedule embracing the reform a whole and covering a period of eight years (Chapter 12). The individual chapters and the overall master schedule define urgent (immediate) priorities, short-term priorities (1999-2001) and medium-term priorities (up to 2003-2006).

The strategy must provide for successive updating of time schedules in accordance with the results actually achieved and on the basis of experience with implementation. It will be necessary to realistically assess the "absorption capacity" of Czech public administration and select a pace of change that this administration is able to sustain. This pace may change in the course of the reform.