Parliament passes law to provide better public services

Georgia’s Parliament has approved a Government-drafted bill to reform the public sector and support public servants to gain proper qualifications and experience to do their jobs effectively. 

Seventy-eight Members of Parliament (MPs) out of the 150-seat legislative body voted in favour of the law at its third and final reading in Parliament yesterday. 

The new Law on Public Service offered new approaches of how the Government would operate the country’s state and public services. 

One of the points outlined establishing an Institute of Professional Public Servants, where a public service employee will be permanently employed and get legal and social guarantees, as well as their salary, in exchange of their activities.  

Government starts public service reform. Photo by N.Alavidze/Agenda.ge. 

The law also voiced the creation of the Individuals Employed based on Administrative Agreement, through which a state official (politician) will be granted the right to hire a public service employee based on an administrative agreement that might not be a permanent deal. 

On another note, the new law specified new approaches regarding public servants’ careers and introduced "mobility” in the system. This mobility meant in case of closure of certain departments or branches, a public servant will be moved to an equivalent position within the same or another public institution. 

To control the quality of services provided and ensure staff were completing their roles effectively, the law suggested a job review at least once per year.