Authorities In Romania Research Articles

Collaborative Public Administration—A Dimension of Sustainable Development: Exploratory Study on Local Authorities in Romania

The contribution of sustainable public administration to the promotion of sustainable development is increasingly emphasized in the literature, including through an emerging and facilitating concept: collaborative administration. The sustainability of public organizations and of the public interventions carried out by these organizations is a central pillar of a modern administrative model, the desideratum of any government agenda. For this reason, the aim of this paper is to contribute to a more nuanced view on the relationship of sustainable development–institutional sustainability–collaborative dimension, covering some gaps that prevail in the literature by contextualizing the theoretical hypotheses in a case study. The novelty and added value of the research lies in establishing links between these three concepts by referring to a fourth concept: organizational intelligence. The study uses theoretical instruments, such as a questionnaire based on the design model proposed by Lefter et al., for the indirect assessment of the collaborative dimension. The outcomes demonstrate that the collaborative dimension of a public organization can be quantified using the proposed model. Moreover, organizational plans that promote the sustainability of public administration and sustainable development are identified. However, additional complementary studies are required to further investigate the cause-and-effect relationship between sustainable development, institutional sustainability, and collaborative dimensions.

Considerations on the restrictive nature of certain tender requirements in public procurement procedures for construction works contracts

The public procurement landscape in Romania, much like its European counterparts, is governed by stringent directives and principles that strive to ensure transparency, equal treatment, and fairness in awarding contracts. Yet, a notable trend has emerged among contracting authorities in Romania: the establishment of restrictive requirements in tender documentation, particularly concerning construction works contracts. This article, informed by the European and Romanian legal frameworks, delves into these requirements, their implications for potential contractors, and the overarching need to balance specific experience criteria with the broader principles of inclusivity and competition.

Romania's policy for managing the Covid-19 pandemic. Romanian Academy Publishing House, Bucharest, 2022. Otovescu Maria Cristina

Through this book, university professor Cristina Otovescu presents scientific evidence (administrative, legislative documents and reports issued by institutions, studies and opinion polls), but in a language accessible to the public, how the authorities in Romania managed, to what extent it affected and how the population of the country reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Circular economy a push and pull mechanism - Recycling starts before purchasing

Public procurement is a mechanism through which the public sector can benefit from the latest technological processes and assistance from the private sector, while retaining its position as the main decision-maker in setting and implementing investment policies. This paper aims to make a quantitative analysis in an attempt to identify, to what extend, the contracting authorities in Romania, given the increased demand for the purchase of IT equipment caused by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the recommendations of the European Commission in this field, have used, in their tender documents, evaluation criteria/factors specific to circular purchasing. In addition, the analysis aims to establish how the recycling and circularity process can be determined from the early stage of the tender documents, when establishing the evaluation factors that will directly impact the contract winner. Using principal component analysis and the Cronbach coefficient alpha combined with “the Varimax” method, the nature and the weight of the evaluation factors have been identified in a circular procurement process, considering the best value for money. The final findings represent a mix of criteria for IT circular procurement to be used to push the suppliers to clean/green production and to pull the market to a circular economy sales and consumption paradigm.

Modalități de culturalizare în mediul rural cu sprijinul bibliotecilor. Biblioteca ambulantă în județul Suceava între anii 1941 și 1942

In the interwar period, there was a special interest from the local and central authorities in Romania for the establishment and development of libraries in the countryside. The cultural societies, the “Schoolsʼ House”, with experience in the activity of culture and education, and the young society, active and eager to affirm, the “Prince Carol Royal Cultural Foundation”, established in 1921, were in the front line, alongside of the “Reading Association” and then the “Society for Romanian Culture and Literature in Bukovina” from Chernivtsi, with a special cultural, social and educational experience in the history of Bukovina, starting in 1862, and the “Astra” Society from Sibiu fulfilled an important role in supporting and organizing village libraries. Between the years 1941 and 1942, in Suceava County, the “mobile library” program was encouraged and in this way it contributed to the popularization of books and reading in rural communities. The “mobile library” was actually a crate with 385 different books, which circulated through the villages of Suceava, following an established itinerary, according to the schedule attached by the county Prefecture. Thus, the “Ministry of Propaganda” and the “Propaganda Inspectorate” from Chernivtsi launched a new cultural and educational method for the villagers using the mobile library, and this activity was promoted with the support of the local authorities (Prefecture and Town Hall). This way, villagers could access reading more easily.

Specific strategic planning at the level of central public authorities in Romania

Understanding and applying the tools and methods specific to strategic planning and management in the public sector in Romania have become absolutely necessary for ensuring the wellbeing of local communities, but also for institutional development and improving administrative capacity at the central, regional and local level.

Communication as an Influencing Factor for the Absorption Rate of European Funds in Romania

Communication in European funding foresees detailed obligations for implementing bodies and beneficiaries. However, beneficiaries claim a significant difference in communication between the projects managed by authorities in Romania, as compared to those managed by European authorities. This paper aims to highlight some of the challenges that beneficiaries face when implementing projects, in terms of communication with the authorities, emphasizing its effects on the absorption rate of European funds. By conducting qualitative research, the author unveiled a link between communication and the absorption rate, along with some aspects of the communication with the authorities.

Education During the Covid-19 Pandemic. The Case of Romania’s Political-Administrative Decisions on Education and Health

This article highlights the problems faced by teachers, students, parents and authorities in Romania during the Coronavirus pandemic, as well as their management in the general context of the health crisis unfolding in this country. The documentation regarding Romania was compiled mainly on the basis of official reports and information taken from the media, due to the novelty of the subject for the case study presented. They were joined by theoretical-methodological works on the general epidemiological context and by studies on the particularities of the Romanian education system, which helped us to outline the theoretical-methodological background of the research. The authors have tried to highlight good practices, but also the errors that led to an increase in the number of cases and the imposition of restrictions, during the first four waves of the pandemic, with a major impact on educational activities in Romania. The main restrictions and advantages of online education, a first for the Romanian education system, are also highlighted.

Substance use: comparison between the pandemic period and post-pandemic

IntroductionSubstance abuse is a pattern of compulsive substance use that is accompanied by repeated substantial interpersonal, social, professional, or legal negative effects, such as repeated absences from work or school, arrests, or marital issues.ObjectivesThe study aims to show the influence of psychological factors among the consumption of alcohol in the general population.Methods A retrospective study that was conducted at the “Elisabeta Doamna” Psychiatry hospital of Galati, Romania. The study shows the fluctuations in hospital admissions of patients with alcohol related disorders in the period November 2020 till September 2022.ResultsThe study was conducted to show the difference in the number of admissions before and after the date of 1st March 2022, which is the date when the authorities in Romania have lifted the restrictions that were implemented to reduce the spread of Covid_19 virus. The number of total cases in the period between the 1st of November 2020 and 28th of February 2022 were 672 patients, from which 518 patients were males from Urban areas. In the period between the 1st March 2022 and the 1st of September 2022, the number of patients that were admitted due to substance use were 232 cases. This shows a significant decrease in the number of admissions that can be related to the decrease of psychological stressing factors that were accompanied with the restriction measure of the pandemic.ConclusionsOverall, the results of this retrospective study suggest that the prevalence of adult substance use has declined with the decrease of the restriction measures that were imposed by the authorities. Monitoring and ongoing surveillance of substance use will be necessary over the years following the pandemic.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Digital Interactions with Public Authorities in Romania and other Eastern European Member States: A Predictive Model

Digital Interactions with Public Authorities in Romania and other Eastern European Member States: A Predictive Model

Life-Long Learning Know-How Transfer Centers for Flood Risk Assessment in Romania and Hungary

The sector affected by surplus or scarcity of water requires proper understanding of river and landscape system behavior, what is possible to be done to prevent potential damages and losses need skilled professionals, who are familiar also with the newest IT based hydroinformatic tools and technological achievements to find the best possible solutions. An extensive programs of Water Authorities in Romania and in Hungary have been running to provide flood risk maps in all the main river basins including also those which across the both countries. The obtained results will be contribute to the better understanding and general prediction of flooding on the major river systems and assist the governments to act (in real time and space) in accordance with contingency planning based on flood risk management plans, moreover future development plans of regions and cities will get a proper guidance and platforms for future feasibility studies. However Flood Directive implementation has been ongoing in Romania and Hungary, `bridging and direct trainings` for relevant sectors as it is planned in this project have not been provided and have not been planned for future in Romania and Hungary. Based on these needs in 2011 was initiated and organized an international cooperation project financed by the European Union with the theme: “Development of knowledge canters for life-long learning by involving of specialists and decision makers in flood risk management using advanced Hydroinformatic tools” [1]. In this paper we give a brief overview of the main objectives proposed, a description of the partners and some aspects of the activities developed in the project and some of the results obtained

Occupational exposure to inorganic lead and its compounds in Romania

Abstract Lead and its compounds are hazardous chemical agents; some lead compounds, are classified as carcinogens in humans. In Romania, the occupational exposure to inorganic lead and its compounds occurs in many sectors: production of lead, manufacture of batteries, manufacture of thermal ceramic products (terracotta), production of electric and electronic components, manufacture of articles of metal wire, production of dyes and additives for plastics, recovery of lead from waste batteries, waste collection and treatment of electrical and electronic equipment, etc. The binding occupational limit value for inorganic lead compounds established under the national regulations is 0.15 mg/m3 in the air (measured in relation to a reference period of eight hours, time-weighted average, TWA). The binding biological limit value is 70 μg Pb/100 ml blood. We have summarized lead occupational exposure data collected from the regional public health authorities in Romania, for the period 2011-2019. The concentrations of lead recorded in the workplaces air varied between “not detected” and 0.22 mg/m3. The lead concentrations in the blood had high values (over the alert value of 40 μg/100 ml blood) in several activities (production of lead, recovery-recycling of lead from waste batteries, manufacture of batteries, and manufacture of articles of metal wire) leading to the need of continuous surveillance of health status for the exposed workers.

RISK MANAGEMENT IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROCESS. PARTICULARITIES AND SOLUTIONS FOR OPTIMIZING PUBLIC PROCUREMENT IN ROMANIA IN THE CONTEXT OF EMERGENCY CAUSED BY THE COVID-19 CRISIS

Public procurement involves adequate risk management, specific to the procurement portfolio established at the level of the organization. In order to achieve the proposed objectives, in accordance with the regulated framework established at the level of public institutions from Romania, decisions made at the level of contracting authorities must be based on risk management tools and mechanisms. These tools and mechanisms are defined on the basis of analyses of public procurement processes, carried out in compliance with the legal framework applicable at both European and national level. The new context created at the level of the contracting authorities in Romania, with the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, forced the management factors to adopt emergency decisions, to manage new risks and to implement rapid changes in public procurement processes, in the context of high uncertainty. This paper aims at analyzing the way decisions are made at the level of contracting authorities in Romania, in order to identify specific risk management mechanisms, based on the assessment and anticipation of risks related to public procurement organized in an matter of emergency.

Air-Pollution Control in an Emergent Market: Does It Work? Evidence from Romania.

Economic development in a national and international context must be based on a sustainability strategy established on the systemic interaction between the economic, sociocultural, and ecological environments. Today, the world is confronted by many challenges related to climate change and natural-resource flows, including waste streams resulting from economic activity. The need for national and European environmental standards and the work of an environment monitoring authority to reduce air pollution are highlighted by economic and industrial activities. Thus, our research focused on determining if emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen (NO2), and particulate matter 10 (PM10) are influenced by planned and unplanned inspections made by competent authorities from Romania. We built a regression model that estimates the influence of economic measures imposed by the authorities on reducing industrial air pollution. Preliminary results showed that the number of inspections negatively influences air pollution, indicating that national and local authorities in Romania are striving to maintain air quality and are conducting more inspections when air pollution is high.

How Has the General Data Protection Regulation Changed the Routine of a Public Authority in Romania?

The changes that have been brought about by the General Data Protection Regulation starting with May 2018 are complex and ambitious. The General Data Protection Regulation is one of the most wide ranging pieces of legislation passed by the EU in recent years, and it introduces many concepts that are yet to be fully discovered in practice, such as the right to be forgotten, data portability and data breach notification. This paper intends to analyze the main obligations that public bodies, particularly, have after the GDPR has entered into force, and to evaluate the impact this legislative act has on the routine activities carried out by public authorities in Romania. To reach our goal, we will make reference to the obligations that are specific to public administration authorities as well as to those that public bodies are exempted from. We will also analyze the national legislative measures adopted in Romania after GDPR started to be in force, and the degree to which these have particularized the way public bodies are allowed and obliged to process personal data in Romania.

National Regulations Aimed at Applying the GDPR in Romania

The Personal Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), which entered into force on the 25th of May 2016, provided a two-year deadline for implementation so that the member states, competent authorities and officers, can take steps and, where appropriate, adopt the necessary legislative, technical and organisational measures for the implementation of the new European regulation. This deadline expired on the 25th of May 2018. While it is not usual for a regulation, which is of general application, binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all member states, to require national implementing laws, this general regulation contains several grounds under which the member states have competence to regulate various aspects, by national law, especially regarding the sanctioning regime. The competent authorities in Romania adopted two such laws to regulate some of the issues that the GDPR provides in the member states’ competence. Within this study we analyse these proposals as well as other national measures for the implementation of the Regulation, which concern not only the sanctioning regime, in general, but also the competence of the national data protection authority, the exercise of legal remedies, some special categories of data, certain derogations, the data protection officer, certification bodies or the application of corrective measures to public authorities and institutions.

The Need to Approach the Management of the Tourist Destination by the Central and Local Public Authorities in Romania

AbstractIn the medium and long term, priorities in the development of tourism aim to develop a complex tourist offer, making the most of the natural and anthropogenic resources existing in connection with the preservation of the environment and the heritage. On the long run, it will contribute to raising the living standards of the population, especially social categories with lower chances of reintegration into the labour market (people made redundant in industry, elderly people etc.). Implementation of the strategy at regional level must be achieved through an active partnership between Romanian public authorities, economic agents and private investors, with the involvement of the federation of employers in the sector and of the professional associations.

Required conditionalities in applying public choice theory in the field of public utility services

Adapting public policies on public utilities to collective expectations of the population has always been a challenge for both central and local public authorities in Romania. The present article aims to highlight issues of applicability limits of the theory of public choice. The general objective of this research is to prove that the practicability of public choice requires conditionality of financial affordability. In this regard we use a theoretical analysis on the possibility and conditions of use of the theory of public choice in practice and an empirical analysis based on statistical data which illustrates an up to date comparison of the payment capacity of the sanitation services, adapted to European standards, of the population of the four counties of the Western Region of Romania, Timis, Arad, Caras-Severin and Hunedoara. We considered relevant to our study official statistics on the age structure of the population, employment, unemployment, social assisted individuals, students and pensioners and the average income of all these categories. The analysis results indicate that there are major discrepancies of the payment capacity and financial endurance between the population of the four counties and that the substantiation of charging public services using the principles of public choice would be unsustainable financially for a large part of the population. After clarifying these issues, the main conclusion of the study is that public choice theory application using the majority’s autonomy is possible only through an association of financial affordability barriers. The relevance of the study is to address and propose solutions to the difficult context crossed by Romanian public authorities to find integrated solutions, so as to develop community services at European level, but at the same time to remain in the sphere of needs and payment possibilities of citizens.

Ethics Adviser Role in Public Administration

The paper presents a series of national considerations regarding ethics adviser role in ensuring integrity in public administration in Romania. Across all public authorities in Romania must be a constant concern to be identified causes of breaches of conduct by public officials. Accurate and timely identification of all causes of the breaches of conduct can lead to identifying the most appropriate ways to prevent violations of rules of conduct, namely the adoption of the most effective strategies and measures to reduce these cases. It is also indispensable as professional and efficient exercise of the function of ethics advice each institution and public authorities. The social relevance of the subject matter derives from the benefits of ethics counselling. The purpose of this paper is to present the main advantages of ethics counselling in public administration. The role of Ethics Advisers is extremely important in the context in which the level of public authorities and public institutions has been given less importance to analysing and individualizing the causes and consequences of civil servants' failure to comply with the rules of conduct. To be assured ethics in public administration at each designated institutions and public authorities is a public officer to monitor compliance with the rules of conduct and to provide advice on issues of ethics of civil servants from the institution. In this way ensures quality of service and relations with citizens, institutional image and prestige. As a result, the activity of the officials responsible for monitoring compliance with rules of conduct and for providing advice on ethical issues - ethics advisers - can play in this context is particularly relevant and responsible authorities should combine their efforts to ensure adviser ethics best framework to allow taking active, responsible and implementation of duties provided by law. How to cite : Albu, M. (2017). Ethics Adviser Role in Public Administration. Logos Universality Mentality Education Novelty, Section: Social Sciences , VI(1), 41-50. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/lumenss.2017.0601.04

The importance of international experience for Romanian students in establishing career priorities

Abstract Romanian students′ appreciation towards international experience has been increasing as the number of students involved in international programs has been rising year by year. Also, students′ expectations upon graduation are more related to finding a good job, usually in multinationals. Studies conducted in Romania (Frunzaru et al., 2013) and (Nicolescu and Păun, 2009) showed that students give great attention to the skills they acquire after completing various programs, often their choices being focused on several successful areas and international programs. The joint projects of several universities and governmental authorities in Romania have aimed to develop the international dimension of education (IEMU, 2015). The results of implementing those projects could be revealed by students’ perception of international competences gained by curricula or international exchange programs. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the dynamics of Romanian and European graduates’ satisfaction with international experience and extracurricular resources accessed during university courses. Also, the article will analyze the dynamics of graduates′ career priorities in accordance with the skills provided upon graduation. The data are selected from Trendence Graduate Barometer - Romanian Edition and the analysis establishes relevant conclusions regarding the young Romanian graduates′ need to develop, in comparison with European graduates from 5-year statistic data (2012-2016). The conclusions include a comparison of international exchange programs and career priorities expectations among Romanian and other European graduates. Also, the paper will draw new research directions regarding students′ need for specialization especially in gaining international competences.