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Management of Civil Service in Albania

Filloreta Kodra

Former Head of Department of Public Administration

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Institutional structure

The CSL stipulates that Department of Public Administration (DoPA) is responsible for management and monitoring the civil service at the state level;

Independent institutions (established by the Constitution outside Government control) manage their civil servants autonomously;

Civil Service Commission supervises the legality of decisions concerning the civil service and judges and exercises appeal role

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DoPA

DoPA was under the Prime Minister’s Office during 1999-2005, later included in the system of the Ministry of InteriorThe removal DoPA from the Center of Government weakened DoPA’s monitoring and regulatory capacitiesIn 2006 had 18 staffIn the area of civil service management is responsible for

Developing civil service policies;Issuing general instructions related to

Recruitment,Performance appraisal,Job description and Job evaluation,Functional review and Implementation of the salary structure (as defined by the law)

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Scope of DoPA work

“DoPA” cannot undertake the reforms, it can only initiate and guide their implementation, as well as carry out certain essential central coordination functions.

It should collaborate directly with institutions/ministries on core Government functions such as

budget, internal and external control and audit, as the main coordinator

the MOJ on legislative drafting, administrative controls ( administrative tribunals, legal chancellor as Ombudsman),

the School of Public Administration (TIPA), the services of the State Chancellery, Prime Minister’s Office

and the MOF on salaries and wage management.

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Place of DoPA in Government

It should work with and support the exiting reform units in line ministries and should help set up reform units in the other ministries with which DoPA will cooperate.

Experience suggests that the DoPA should be attached to the Centre of Government (Council of Ministers) because Public Administration Reform (PAR): is essentially a political process, cuts across all parts of government; is closely interlinked with the process of stabilization and

association to the EU , and with cross cutting governance reform process

For achieving such objectives it needs a strong political leadership and commitment

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Essential conditions for effective implementation of reforms PAR implementation depends strongly on the access to

(comparative) information and the ability to influence political decisions. That can only be provided for at the centre of Government.

The DoPA should be adequately staffed, given a budget to undertake its activities (research, publication, advisory missions in line ministries, dissemination seminars, communication on PAR to the wider public, etc.), and to fulfill reporting obligation.

It should be institutionalized to provide for continuity and be able to develop its own expertise.

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Civil Service Commission

CSC is an independent (quasi-judicial) executive body to provide protection of civil servants against infringement of their rights

Reports to the Parliament annually

Main task: examine complaints of civil servants regarding their statutory rights

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Management of Civil Servants in Ministries and Agencies

Secretary General is responsible for the internal administration of the ministry and management of civil servants (more generally, personnel);Human resource management units, reporting to Sec. Gen. have been created to manage civil servants on a daily basis;Difficulty: HR managers may not be always listened to by Secretary GeneralsDoPA organized HR training, which effect was reduced due to high turnoverMore work is needed to strengthen the HR units’ role in management of civil servantsFor organizations subordinated to ministries HR instructions are issued by ministers

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DoPA supervises

The implementation of the civil service regulations by ministries;Reviews and agrees the proposals of ministries (agencies) regarding civil service issues prior to their submission for Government approval;

While DoPA carried out strict monitoring of civil service rules and procedures, independent institutions had weaker controls and better organized HR information

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Management Tools

Performance appraisals – annualImplemented since 2002Is a basis for decision on

Suitability of the civil servant after the probation;Dismissal for poor performance (negative);Promotion of lateral transfer (positive appraisal)

Performance-related pay scheme is established (bonuses of 1 to 3 monthly salaries)Performance appraisal system was not effectively implemented (appraisal was not objective)