After the creation of the Ministry of Public Administration, Prime Minister Edi Rama has come forward with another initiative for the state sector, dubbed the “Merit Scale.” According to him, the reform aims to bring the administration closer to citizens and open up more opportunities for climbing the hierarchy for the most capable employees, although so far no concrete details have been made public on how it will function.
A new reform after the dedicated ministry
In a public appearance, Rama linked the new initiative to the creation of the Ministry of Public Administration, a structure that according to the government will be entirely dedicated to administration and good governance.
The move comes as an expansion of the package of changes that the ruling majority is presenting for the organization of the administration, with a declared focus on performance and relations with citizens.
What the “Merit Scale” promises
According to the prime minister, the “Merit Scale” is intended as a mechanism that should give priority to the most capable employees and to those who, in his version, are more ready to serve the state.
Rama said the goal is for the administration not to remain simply a bureaucratic structure, but a space where advancement in the hierarchy is linked to merit. However, at this stage, the criteria, the evaluation method, and guarantees for transparency in implementation were not clarified.
Citizens at the center, according to the government
In presenting the reform, Rama said there has been reflection on bringing the administration closer to people and strengthening the sense that citizens are the basic reason for public services.
This is the essence of the official framing of the initiative: a closer and more functional administration. But beyond the political declarations, it remains to be seen whether this will be accompanied by measurable standards for service to the public.
Artificial intelligence also in the package of changes
Rama mentioned that artificial intelligence has also been called in to help in these changes, without giving further details on the specific role it will have in the administration reform.
For the moment, the initiative has been presented at a political and conceptual level. What is missing are the practical elements: how merit will be measured, who will verify the process, and how appointments or promotions with double standards will be avoided.
The “Merit Scale” is being presented by the government as the next link in reforming the public administration. So far, the message is clear at the level of promise, but not yet at the level of mechanism.
It is precisely in implementation that it will be weighed whether this is a real change in the administration, or a new political label placed over the state’s old problems.