ZAGREB, July 8, 2020 - Labour and Pension System Minister Josip Aladrovic confirmed on Wednesday that his ministry and the Ministry of Demography, Family Affairs, Youth, and Social Policy could be joined into a single ministry.
"... We have already announced that the number of ministries will be reduced and we will definitely do it. What is important about such plans is to keep functionality at the same level or increase it," Aladrovic said ahead of a meeting of the inner cabinet.
He noted that in Europe, a single ministry was frequently in charge of labour, the pension system, demography, and social affairs.
"... We want to show that our public administration and government can be equally functional or more functional with a small number of ministers," he said.
Asked if the joining of ministries meant reassignment of staff or layoffs, Aladrovic repeated that the main goal was to increase efficiency and reduce the number of executive posts.
"I would not rule out reductions either," he said.
Aladrovic, too, confirmed that there was a possibility representatives of ethnic minorities would have a ministerial post, noting that an agreement on which ministry they would get had not been reached yet.
State Assets Minister Mario Banozic, too, said today that he had nothing against the joining of his ministry and some other ministry.
