The government has unveiled another reform for the public administration, this time under the name “Merit Scale.” Prime Minister Edi Rama said the aim is for entry into the administration, career advancement and the accountability of managers to no longer depend on the will of bosses, but on a standardized mechanism. However, beyond the ambitious presentation, it remains to be seen how much of this promise will be put into practice and how much will remain reform rhetoric.
What the government is signaling with the new reform
According to the prime minister, the reform is based on three pillars: entry into the administration through national testing, career advancement on the basis of merit, and increased accountability in the management of institutions.
Rama presented this as an intervention aimed at affecting the very way state administration is managed, speaking about the need for a fairer evaluation of employees and of the professional capacities that, according to him, exist within the system.
National testing and a 4-year certificate
Under the version presented by the government, entry into the administration will go through a national knowledge test, in cooperation with the Center for Educational Services.
According to Rama, the model will be based on Cambridge exams, and candidates who pass successfully will be issued a certificate valid for four years, allowing them to continue competing for job positions.
The government sees this as a filter against subjective appointments, but without full details on oversight of the process, evaluation standards and safeguards against interference, this is precisely where the main doubts arise over the scheme’s real functioning.
Evaluation of managers after the wave of resignations
The prime minister also focused on the process of evaluating managers, after several of them resigned a few days earlier. According to him, hundreds of managers have been assessed for their work results and the goal is not simply to replace names.
The official version says the focus is on identifying the sectors where work has faltered and where results have been weaker for the state. Rama argued that where problems are repeated there should be consequences, but without damaging administrative capacity and the negotiation process with the European Union.
However, one of the most sensitive points remains precisely the way these results are measured and who judges them, in an administration where, over the years, accusations of political influence and directed reshuffles have not been absent.
Talent register and “MeritAI”
The package announced by the government also includes the creation of a catalog of competencies, a national talent register and a platform called “MeritAI.”
According to Rama, people who want to contribute to the administration will be able to register and, depending on their profession or field of knowledge, be notified in real time about open competitions.
The prime minister said artificial intelligence will not decide who is brought in or removed, but will be used to increase transparency and support movement in line with the new standards. Here too, the government did not provide sufficient details on system auditing, data protection and institutional accountability in cases of abuse or unjust exclusions.
In essence, the government is selling the “Merit Scale” as a turn toward a European-style administration and away from old practices of favoritism.
But the real test of this reform will not be the political presentation, nor the technological branding of the platforms, but whether the administration will truly be freed from the influence of managers and party filters that have accompanied it for years.