Skopje, 9 February 2026 (MIA) - Following initial reactions from the public and the NGO sector regarding the draft law on senior management service, Minister of Public Administration Goran Minchev stated that it represents a significant and long-awaited reform measure, introducing clear rules, professionalism and accountability in the public sector.

“This law has been on the country’s reform agenda for more than seven years. For the first time, it offers a clear and practical solution covering managerial and executive positions in around 100 institutions and establishes transparent criteria and procedures for selection,” Minchev said late Sunday in an interview with Sitel TV.

The draft law was prepared by an inter-ministerial working group, led by the Ministry of Public Administration, with the participation of the General Secretariat, the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Ministry of Finance.

“The law applies exclusively to directors, deputy directors, members of management boards, and state secretaries, who are the drivers of institutional stability and continuity in the work of institutions. The key innovations are contained in three points: the introduction of a merit-based system with procedures and clear selection criteria, the rationalization of management boards, and strict regulation of acting positions,” Minchev said.

Minchev noted that the number of members in management boards will be limited to a maximum of three, resulting in significant savings in the state budget and ending the previous practice of non-functional and oversized boards.

“This law also ends the abuse of acting positions, which for years have been used as a mechanism to bypass systemic solutions. Instead of temporary and political decisions, we are introducing a clear, legal, and professional procedure,” he said.

Minchev underscored that the goal of the law is to create a professional, depoliticized, and efficient public administration, where advancement will be based solely on knowledge, experience, and results.

Photo: Ministry of Public Administration