New Romania Govt approves major structure changes

The newly appointed Liberal government of PM Ludovic Orban has approved a major re-organisation of its central apparatus. Several ministries are dismantled as their activities are absorbed by other ministries, while the General Secretariat of the Government becomes a super-structure and is due to take over control over key state companies.

The newly appointed head of the chancellery, Ionel Danca, presented the key changes on Wednesday:

• The Finance Ministry takes over authority over the National Gambling Office and the National Office for Money Laundering Prevention

• The same ministry takes over control of the National Lottery

• the ministries for Tourism, Energy and Small and Medium Enterprises are dismantled and their activities are taken over by the Economy Ministry

• the Communication and Transport ministries are merged

• the Education Ministry takes over the Research Ministry, which becomes a structure coordinated by an Education Ministry state secretary

• a new authority in charge with the rights of people with disabilities is established at the Labour ministry

• the General Secretariat of the Government brings together a Department for Romanians Abroad, the Authority for Digitalisation of Romania, the Department for Relations with the Parliament and the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova. Major energy companies Transelectrica and Transgaz, so far under the control of the Economy Ministry, are also brought under the authority of the Secretariat.

The new secretary general of the Government is Antonel Tanase, 47, seen as a Liberal official close to Ludovic Orban.