The Ministry of Finance has submitted a draft amendment to Estonia's Civil Service Act aimed at increasing the sector's competitiveness, clarifying legal structures and improving resource efficiency. Key changes include limiting top officials to two terms, shortening public job application windows from 14 to 7 days and allowing for more flexible internal hiring processes. Critics, including former official Meelis Oidsalu, argue the bill lacks coherence and transparency, particularly questioning the shortened deadlines and the elimination of public competition in some cases.

"For some reason, the assumption is that candidates will be invited to apply, rather than expected to take the initiative themselves. One week is certainly not a reasonable period," Oidsalu said. "As an ordinary person working outside the civil service or in another institution, you simply can't respond in time. In some cases, the requirement for a public competition disappears entirely, and that's not transparent at all."

The proposal would also raise the cap on performance-based bonuses and introduce a legal minimum salary for civil servants. Contracts for unit heads would shift to fixed terms, a move intended to boost accountability and reduce political influence. Additionally, the current restriction on rotation lengths would be removed — an indirect signal, Oidsalu argues, that prior criminal investigations into high-level police rotations were unjustified.

Controversially, the bill mandates severance pay even for employees leaving due to poor collaboration, which Oidsalu calls illogical and potentially unfair to high-performing staff. He also opposes anonymizing salary data, arguing that public salaries should remain transparent to avoid political patronage. Another change would tie layoff notice periods to time served at a specific agency rather than in the civil service overall, aiming to ease structural reforms.

Despite past concerns about defense officials transitioning into the private sector, the draft omits proposed "cooling-off" periods.

Oidsalu noted it was surprising that no minister, including Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform), has submitted a new proposal on the cooling-off period.

"At present, it's merely a recommendation in the code of good lobbying conduct, but the draft law doesn't address it at all," he said. "It seems it's not as big of a problem as it's made out to be."

Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Secretary General Marko Gorban defends the reforms as a step toward a more agile and efficient public sector, better able to meet societal expectations and adapt to technological change. Oidsalu, however, sees no crisis requiring sweeping reform and believes satisfaction and leadership quality remain strong within the civil service. He expects the Government Office to introduce further revisions before the bill is finalized.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and X and never miss an update!