Political Scientist Auers: Cutting Red Tape Should Start with Reviewing Functions, Not Headcount
Daunis Auers, associate professor at the University of Latvia, argues that cutting civil servants mechanically without reviewing their functions would make public administration slower. He urges Latvia to follow Estonia's example and adopt omnibus legislation.
Political scientist and University of Latvia associate professor Daunis Auers says that pre-election promises to sharply reduce the number of civil servants show a misunderstanding of how public administration works. In an interview with the Latvian news site Jauns.lv, he explains that reducing bureaucracy should begin with reviewing the functions and procedures themselves, after which staff numbers would fall naturally.
Why the apparatus has grown
Auers notes that bureaucracy, as an impersonal form of administration, emerged in the 19th century alongside modern states. It has grown with public demand for welfare and security: after the Great Depression of the late 1920s, states took on unemployment benefits and pensions, and after the Second World War, European states added centralised education and healthcare. If fewer officials are left but the workload stays the same, the system becomes slower and heavier.
Outdated procedures and fear of responsibility
The professor points out that many requirements introduced in the 1990s were meant to curb corruption on the way to joining the European Union and NATO. In his view, corruption in Latvia is now comparable to that elsewhere in Europe, so processes can be simplified and people can trust one another more. He agrees that bureaucracy often serves as a way to avoid personal responsibility.
The Estonian example
In Estonia, a group set up under the prime minister, with entrepreneurs doing most of the work, submitted 700 proposals in its first year. More than 300 were accepted by the government, and 500 decisions have now been adopted at cabinet level. A similar body operates in Latvia, the bureaucracy reduction group led by Jānis Endziņš. Auers also cites Estonia's decision to issue paper receipts only when a customer asks for one.
Omnibus laws and burden assessment
The bureaucracy reduction group has submitted proposals to the Saeima, Latvia's parliament. Auers calls for omnibus legislation, in which one bill amends several laws at once. He also believes that by 2028 every new legal act should come with an assessment of its bureaucratic burden in money and hours.
