Democratic Bulgaria Proposes 15% Cut in Public Administration Staff

The Democratic Bulgaria Movement has proposed a 15% reduction in public administration staff over three years, the Yes, Bulgaria Party announced on Friday, CE Report quotes BTA

According to draft amendments to the Civil Servants Act, submitted by Bozhidar Bozhanov MP of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) and other lawmakers, all civil servants—both current and prospective—must pass a centralized competition. This examination, held monthly by the Bulgarian Institute of Public Administration in regional capitals, will determine eligibility. Those failing to meet the basic requirements will be dismissed or denied entry into public service.

Successful candidates' scores will remain valid for three years and be stored in a centralized register, allowing them to compete in decentralized-stage recruitment.

The proposed bill aims to end the practice of appointing party loyalists lacking the necessary qualifications. Additionally, it introduces shared administrative services to eliminate redundant HR, finance, and IT departments across agencies, improving efficiency.

Within a year of enactment, functional analyses will assess necessary structural changes, ensuring staff reductions do not impact performance. Lawmakers Bozhanov and Yordan Ivanov confirmed that the reform seeks an annual 5% downsizing over three years.