Romanian Agriculture Ministry Staff To Be Cut 20% - Minister

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"Out of 33 agencies and institutions, we will eliminate 13. We had already cut staff by 21% and now we’ll cut an additional 200%," Sarbu told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc meets on Saturday and Sunday with ministers who have subordinated agencies and institutions, to have the number of agencies cut by mid-August.

Sarbu said the elimination of some agencies and merger of others are already stipulated in the draft government decree decentralizing certain activities and reorganizing structures that are currently under the authority of the Agriculture Ministry.

The draft act stipulates that certain institutions, among which the State Domains Agency, will be disbanded.

The minister also reminded staff cuts were operated in the Ministry of Agriculture two weeks ago. Management positions in the institution decreased to 42 from 65, the number of departments was reduced to 21 from 32 and 136 employees with the ministry were transferred to the Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture, the National Anti-hail Administration and the Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture.

The minister said cutting staff by another 20% is all he can do, since paying agencies working with EU funds need more staff to be able to meet European Commission requirements. He said the Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture alone needs an extra 2,000 employees.