Italy passes civil service law
Xinhua, August 5, 2015 Adjust font size:
Italy on Tuesday passed a much-awaited civil service law which contains measures to simplify public administration, reduce its costs and make it more merit-based.
Under the new law, civil managers performing badly can lose their jobs. Working hours, wages and transfers of civil servants will be adjusted.
The country's police forces will be reorganized to incorporate the so-called forest guards into one of the other forces.
Another measure contained in the law will promote a greater use of the English language as well as Internet in public offices so that they will be able to offer better assistance and more services online.
A single emergency service number, 112, will be introduced to replace the separate ones citizens presently have to dial to call police, paramedics or firefighters.
A new Italian freedom of information act envisaged by the law will give citizens the right to access public documents and figures.
The law was approved in the Senate on Tuesday with 145 votes in favor, 97 against, and no abstentions. Votes from opposition forces contributed to the support needed for its approval.
It will have to be signed by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and then officially published in the next days in order to become effective. Endi