ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - The reorganisation of the Defence Ministry should formally begin early in October and wrap up by the end of March or early April next year, Minister Zeljka Antunovic said on Friday after the government passed
a decree on the internal organisation of her ministry.
ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - The reorganisation of the Defence Ministry
should formally begin early in October and wrap up by the end of
March or early April next year, Minister Zeljka Antunovic said on
Friday after the government passed a decree on the internal
organisation of her ministry. #L#
Under the decree, the number of employees at the Defence Ministry
should be cut from the current 4,911 to 2,005, Antunovic said. The
figure does not include employees with the Military Security
Agency, whose number is not public data but will not be high, she
said.
The reorganisation will be carried out publicly, within and outside
the defence system, according to clear and public criteria which
will be equal for all and offer the possibility of complaining
against eventual decisions, said Antunovic. Each organisational
unit will be given clear information as to the reorganisation and
the possibilities at the disposal of each employee, she added.
The reorganisation of the entire defence system will reduce the
number of employees from the present 40,000 to 27,000, of which
25,000 in the Armed Forces and 2,000 in the Defence Ministry.
Antunovic foresees people will be divided into three groups - those
who fully meet the standards of professional development, those who
have the possibility to meet said standards through additional
training, and those who do not have this possibility. This third
category will be provided for through retirement and active reserve
programmes, which entails lower salaries for a maximum period of
five years.
Programmes providing for and directing active officers into civil
services have been prepared, the minister said, adding that the
World Bank and the International Organisation for Migrations were
expected to provide financial assistance for the so-called long
career project.
It is still unknown how much the reform and reorganisation of the
defence system will cost but it will depend on how much is earmarked
for the system in next year's budget. The budget will also affect
stimulating severance wages for those who opt for self-
employment.
(hina) ha sb