Serbia List of Abbreviations and Acronyms
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TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ....................................................................................... 2 OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................................... 4 STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM ..................................................... 6 1. State of play and main developments: 2014-April 2015 .................................................................... 6 2. Analysis ............................................................................................................................................... 7 POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND CO-ORDINATION................................................................................ 16 1. State of play and main developments: 2014-April 2015 .................................................................. 16 2. Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 17 PUBLIC SERVICE AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT .............................................................. 40 1. State of play and main developments: 2014- April 2015 ................................................................. 40 2. Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 42 ACCOUNTABILITY .......................................................................................................................... 59 1. State of play and main developments: 2014-April 2015 ............................................................. 59 2. Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 60 SERVICE DELIVERY ......................................................................................................................... 71 1. State of play and main developments: 2014-April 2015 .................................................................. 71 2. Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 72 PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................ 81 1. State of play and main developments in 2014-April 2015 ............................................................... 81 2. Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 83 1 Serbia List of Abbreviations and Acronyms LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ACA Anti-Corruption Agency BSL Budget System Law CHU Central Harmonisation Unit CoG centre of government CPR Commission for the Protection of Rights in Public Procurement CSL Civil Service Law EC European Commission EI European integration EU European Union FMC financial management and control GAWP Government Annual Work Plan GDP gross domestic product GFS Government Finance Statistics GSG General Secretariat of the Government HCSC High Civil Service Council HR human resources HRM human resource management HRMS Human Resources Management Service IA internal audit IMF International Monetary Fund IPA Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance LSA Law on State Administration MAEP Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection MoF Ministry of Finance MPALSG Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government MTBF medium-term budgetary framework MTTT Ministry of Trade, Tourism, and Telecommunications NAD National Priorities for International Assistance NGO non-governmental organisation NPAA National Plan for the Adoption of the Acquis OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 2 Serbia List of Abbreviations and Acronyms PAR public administration reform PFM public financial management PIFC Public Internal Financial Control PPL Public Procurement Law PPO Public Procurement Office PPP public-private partnership(s) PPS Public Policy Secretariat RIA Regulatory Impact Assessment RoP rules of procedure RSD Serbian dinar RSL Republic Secretariat for Legislation SAI Supreme Audit Institution SEIO Serbian European Integration Office SOE state-owned enterprise VAT value added tax 3 Serbia Overview OVERVIEW The European Commission (EC) has strengthened its focus on public administration reform (PAR) in the “Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2014-2015” by outlining six key issues of reform. Based on the Enlargement Strategy, the Principles of Public Administration were developed by SIGMA in co- operation with the EC.1 The Principles cover six areas: strategic framework for public administration reform, policy development and co-ordination, public service and human resource development, accountability, service delivery and public financial management (including public procurement); they define what good governance entails in practice and outline the main requirements to be followed by countries during the European Union (EU) integration process. The Principles also feature a monitoring framework enabling regular analysis of the progress made in applying the Principles and setting country benchmarks. This Country Report sets the baseline values for the indicators included in the monitoring framework and provides analysis on where the country stands against the Principles. It covers the period from January 2014 to April 2015, which is shortened to April 2014 to April 2015 in areas where a SIGMA assessment was conducted in 2014. The analytical report is complemented by the Methodological Annex, which defines the indicators included in the monitoring framework. General state of play in Serbia Following the first Intergovernmental Conference on Serbia’s accession to the European Union, which was held in January 2014, the Government has actively pursued the EU integration agenda. The EU acquis communautaire screening process proceeded according to plan and it was completed in March 2015. Both the EU and the Serbian Government have placed the opening of negotiating chapters high on their 2015 agendas. In its annual Progress Report published on 8 October 2014, the EC stated that for the period 2014-2020, the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) would focus on supporting reform efforts in direct line with the negotiation process, in particular in the area of rule of law and governance, as well as competitiveness and growth. Start of the accession negotiations brings new responsibilities in all areas covered by the Country Report and Serbia needs to deliver concrete results on the reform agenda and ensure ownership of reforms. To achieve that, a well-functioning public administration is a key area. There has been progress in reforming public administration, but challenges still remain. The legal framework for a functioning public administration is in place in Serbia, but the lack of effective institutional structures and inter-institutional co-operation hinders implementation of the legislation. The Public Administration Reform Strategy, which was approved in 2014, and the PAR Action Plan, approved in 2015, provide the foundation for implementing more cost-effective ways of delivering public services but the reforms will only be achieved if they are developed and implemented in a co- ordinated manner involving the key centre of government institutions. The delivery of tangible results for the PAR agenda, as well as properly implementing the acquis communautaire, is dependent on ownership of the reform process and adequate administrative capacity. It is also dependent on appropriate institutional independence being guaranteed, especially in those cases where transparency and accountability are essential. The reform agenda needs to be delivered within the framework of the Government’s fiscal consolidation programme, which aims to stabilise the public finances by 2017. 1 See for The Principles of Public Administration and relevant background information on the SIGMA website: http://www.sigmaweb.org/publications/Principles-Public-Administration-Nov2014.pdf 4 Serbia Strategic Framework of Public Administration Reform 1 Strategic Framework of Public Administration Reform 5 Serbia Strategic Framework of Public Administration Reform STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM 1. STATE OF PLAY AND MAIN DEVELOPMENTS: 2014-APRIL 2015 1.1. State of play Public administration reform (PAR) is acknowledged by the Government of Serbia as one of its priorities. The administrative responsibility for PAR within the Government rests with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government (MPALSG). In 2014, the PAR Strategy2 was adopted, followed by a PAR Action Plan3 early in 2015. Co-ordination and management structures for PAR have been established, consisting of a number of formalised discussion forums, including at two political levels and one technical level. The PAR framework is now complete, although progress on its implementation cannot yet be assessed due to the recent nature of these developments. The PAR priorities are well defined and are set out in terms of measures and activities within the Action Plan. The costs of these activities are clearly defined (including different sources of funding). 1.2. Main developments After the elections and the formation of the new Government, the responsibility for PAR was removed from the Ministry