Having followed the administrative reforms in our country since the first years of the post-colonial period and having taken part in some of them, I came to the conclusion that our political and administrative system is characterized by “legislative one-sidedness.” We continue to make laws without caring about their implementation.

As the experience of post-colonial administrative reforms of Decentralization and local government shows, the three most important of them, namely the establishment of Prefectural Self-Government (1994), the Kapodistrias Program (1997) and its continuation Kallikratis (2010) had some general characteristics of the reforms: they were adopted in the first half of the government’s term, they were based on strong political will and a competent team of reformers, they chose the right time, they ignored short-term political costs. and they were accompanied by actions to support and implement the reform. They were not left at the mercy of the inaction of the public administration.

In particular, the Kapodistrias program contained a five-year Local Government Special Program (EPTA), which financed the improvement of the work of local governments through their computerization, the necessary investments (building infrastructure, vehicles, mechanical equipment), additional scientific personnel in the municipalities of Kapodistrias and a special communication program.

On the contrary, often reform provisions remain in the Official Gazette or are reformulated, or their implementation period is constantly extended, when the conditions, tangible and intangible resources and the roadmap for their implementation are not provided by the operational program. A typical example is the extension from 2010 to 2022 by 10 times the period of “administrative support” of municipalities in order to create construction services.

In addition, experience has shown that significant reforms in the work of public administration and its services to citizens and businesses are mainly based on an operational program for the effective use of modern information and communication technologies. The digitization of transactions, the interconnection of registers and, in general, databases, as well as the horizontal and vertical compatibility of governments at all administrative levels, is leading to a revision of traditional ideas about the transfer, distribution and redistribution of responsibilities, emphasizing the need to promote prioritization of consultations, coordination, synergy of government authorities and partnerships. and systemic cooperation of administrative levels.

In this way, we can overcome “legislative one-sidedness” and complement the traditional political-administrative culture with an operational perspective that will be focused on delivering results, which will actually provide visibility from citizens, and therefore their necessary social support.

A recent study entitled “Reform Technique through the Historical Evolution of Administrative Reforms in Decentralization and Local Government in Greece” contributes in this direction. The author of the study is Panagiotis Maistros and a high-level research team. The study summary was published in book form and digitally by ELIAMEP and EETAA.

Successful changes have been based on strong political will and accompanied by action to support and implement them.

This study is a reflection and evaluation of administrative reforms in Greece in the post-colonial period and an attempt to build an “institutional memory” of the reform method of these reforms, suggesting its use as a matrix for the next important administrative reform. The study concludes with the recommendation of “Toolbox” Emma. Roidis” with 4 reform instruments, “Ephalinos” reform methodology, 4 competency reform methods and 10 reform steps.

In addition, as the basis of the next major administrative reform, he proposes not multi-level management, but digital multi-level management as a public policy.

As examples, proposals are presented in specific government policies, public health and primary health care policies, civil protection, and it is shown that it is necessary not so much to add new PTA powers to the ballot, but to fund them to exercise the powers they already have “on paper” .

Using the basis of this study, I will formulate a proposal. The state should pass the law proposed by Emm. , tangible and intangible resources and a roadmap for its implementation. And, of course, it will provide a mechanism to support the law-making departments of ministries for the preparation of relevant operational programs.

In conclusion, since there is no “autopilot” that implements the reforms that we enact in laws, we need a “guide” (guideline) to assess the prospects for the success of legislative initiatives in the coming years, based on the reform methodology. and the tools they use (or don’t use) and the roadmap of steps they follow (or don’t follow). Research, such as the Maistro group study recently published by EETAA and ELIAMEP, can also help us in this direction.

Mr. Alekos Papadopoulos is a former minister.