The foundation of Pnrr, where Public Administration plays a key role. And again the simplification and synergy between the territories. Il Tempo deals with all this in an interview with the Minister of Pa, Paolo Zangrillo.
Minister, the latest Fpa survey attests that, for 64% of those interviewed, public administration is an “attractive employer”. Is it the old seduction of steady employment?
“I think there’s a lot more. The report indicates a clear trend reversal, the PA is recognized as an attractive body. The work we are carrying out, also in terms of recruitment, is bearing fruit: 29% of young people aged between 18 and 34 interviewed consider public administration an opportunity. An important sign, especially if we look at the competitive season that awaits us, there are almost 160,000 places available between turnover and new hires, a substantial turnover. Stability is an important factor, but I believe that future prospects are the levers that are bringing young people closer to public employment. Let us not forget the new digital forms of access to public works. With InPA, the exclusive recruitment portal, we make competitions easier, faster and more accessible. It is the beginning of a path that we must continue to follow so that more and more young people approach us”.
A study carried out a few years ago by Clube Ambrosetti shed light on critical issues in Public Administration, such as lack of evaluation and incentives, lack of clarity in the distribution of responsibilities. How are we doing?
“An organization works if it pays due attention to people. Merit is one of the pillars from which I intend to start renewing Public Administration. Arriving at the Dicastery, I found well-prepared, competent people with a strong sense of measuring the degree of satisfaction with their own commitment, these are the elements of a successful organization”.
For Italians, public administration rhymes with bureaucracy. When will the simplification process begin?
«Without true simplification there can be no innovation. The Pnrr identifies 600 procedures on which to intervene by 2026 in sectors such as the environment and energy, construction and urbanism, disability and agri-food. I started discussions with the competent ministries, commercial associations and local representatives and we are defining the first measures with a view to the legislative decree of enabling measures for the Pnrr. In the coming weeks we will produce another simplification package to support companies, with a specific provision, and we are also working on a bill that will allow us to have an adequate regulatory instrument to cover other sectors of intervention”.
In the Covid months, when smartworking was adopted, users complained of a difficult drive belt with the PA. What are the prospects?
«Smartworking allowed continuity to essential services. Even during the lockdown, PA staff continued to work. I believe that the public administration’s test of resistance has been overcome, albeit with difficulties and physiological slowdowns. Now that the emergency is behind us, we can organize an agile work in order to guarantee the quality of services, this must be the priority and at the same time measure the degree of satisfaction with the needs of citizens and companies”.
Faced with the grounding path of the Pnrr, many mayors have reported a lack of personnel. What is the state of the art?
«70% of Pnrr projects have an impact on territorial realities. Of course, many entities have found themselves managing funds and projects without the right skills. One of the first requests I received was from municipal departments. To respond to this need, in Manobra we envisage the possibility for Municipalities with less than 5,000 inhabitants to use the Pnrr 30 million fund to reinforce administrative capacity as support for the recruitment of municipal secretaries. Another intervention was the hiring of 1000 specialists. In collaboration with Minister Fitto’s offices, we are working to further strengthen the administrative and planning capacity of the municipalities, through the use of the funds foreseen in the matter by the Pnrr, around 350 million euros”.
It is difficult to think that the trajectory of the Pnrr takes place without a synergy between the administrative levels. What is the government doing?
«Interlocution with local authorities is essential to understand the real needs that serve the development of the country. Based on this belief, on January 9th in Perugia I launched “Let’s make Italy simple. Talk to the territories”, a process of listening to local realities. An opportunity to tell what we do and, above all, to listen to the needs, critical issues, proposals of those who directly experience the relationship with citizens. On Monday, February 6th, we will be in L’Aquila, a particular area that requires us to keep our attention on issues such as the seismic phenomenon and post-earthquake reconstruction operations. Our path of listening, dialogue and confrontation with the territories will continue in Naples and Trieste to touch all regions, because only from the indispensable attention to those who live in the institutions is it possible to achieve a true renewal and improvement of the PA”.
Source: IL Tempo
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
