PM Citu: 'Right person in the right position' - the overriding criterion for senior public appointments

Prime Minister Florin Citu stated today that when appointing Secretaries of State and heads of government agencies he will look at a set of morality and competence criteria, and that the watchword is "no convicts in public office, no conflicts of interest and professionals only", so that the right person is appointed to the right position. "Not much will change as to the previous year, the priorities stay the same, investments are priorities. Of course, we still have the health expenditures we have to make due to the pandemic, but it's also time to start reforming. (...) I looked at the costs, at how money is managed in the public administration, we must set up an efficient and professional public system, we cannot go on like this anymore. And this will start with the government, with the people we appoint to the government. Let me tell you clearly and firmly, it's true that Secretaries of State, agency presidents are still politically appointed, but at the same time we must observe the principle 'the right person in the right place', with no convicts in public office, with no conflicts of interest and professionals only. These are the three criteria I won't give up on when these appointments will be made," Florin Citu said on Tuesday on Radio Europa FM when asked about his philosophy regarding the structure of the 2021 budget. The Prime Minister emphasized that as leader of the government, he wants the line-up to be "populated with professionals". The head of the Executive stressed that the resources that will be allocated to state-owned companies, especially loss-incurring ones, will be conditioned on a reform plan. "We must see a plan allowing these companies to switch to profit, because if they make no profit I don't really see why we would indefinitely put money in these companies. (...) I am waiting for solutions from the relevant ministers who must come up with a reform plan. And thirdly, I requested a prioritization of investments. (...) It doesn't make sense to start 1,000 projects and finalize none, we must set our priorities and start projects that we also carry through, we must allocate resources where the probability of carrying out an important project for Romania is highest," PM Citu said. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Florea, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - editor: Simona Klodnischi)