Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 16th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview Panel on Getting Public Administration Reform to Work Author(s) Marius Profiroiu Bucharest University of Economic Studies Bucharest Romania Professor Marius Profiroiu, PhD Professor Tudorel Andrei, PhD Lecturer Alina Profiroiu, PhD from Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest - ROMANIA Title Decentralization process in Romania File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Abstract The local public administration reform reflects substantive changes in its major components and in the delivery of public services, in general. On the other hand democratic consolidation requires the development of a new relationship between citizen and administration, a strengthen role of the authorities and the redefinition of the partnership with the civil society and the local elected officials. This paper examines the growing demand for best practices in public policy and administration on local government level in Romania. The paper draws attention to the decentralization process in Romania, focusing on effectiveness and efficiency and those focusing on public engagement and democratic governance. Our analyze focuses on the gap between the legal developments (both constitutional and regulatory) and the actual implementation on the ground. In theory, Romania is already a decentralized state. This statement can be supported by the following arguments: the Constitution of Romania guarantees the freedom to manage of local communities and no subordination between administrative tiers; successive primary legislation grants wide competencies to local communities in the areas of education, health care, social security, cultural action, local services management, etc. But in reality the situation is seriously lagging behind, often because of the financial arrangements. For example, the VAT transfers envisaged for funding the new competencies are done in an arbitrary and non-transparent way, without clear objective criteria. There is a favorable opinion on the decentralization process and on the advantages it may generate. Nevertheless, there is no real committed local accounting system: annual budgets are indicative and adjusted during the year depending on the revenue collected and actual payments, which determines many communities to ask for additional funding, whenever necessary, from the state (and from county) budgets. The state services lack visibility as far as local needs are concerned and have a tendency to be reductive in credit allocation, although these allocations are supposed to automatically finance the new competencies. This creates frustration among local officials, who are (rightly) claiming that the decentralization stated in legal acts is insufficiently applied and ultimately depends on their ability to negotiate with the state, with all the related political risks. Concluding, it can be said that public administration reform is a complex, difficult and lengthy process and it cannot succeed without the political commitment and support at the highest level (in order to overcome the natural tendency of the administration system – indeed, of any system – to resist change).
