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Innovation Agency faces staff cuts
🇱🇹 Lithuania /Economy & Trade

Innovation Agency faces staff cuts

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Orijana Mašalė, former deputy defense minister, announced significant staff reductions at the Innovation Agency in Lithuania.
  • She criticized the move as counterproductive during global economic turbulence, arguing Lithuania needs public sector speed, not cuts to business support.
  • Sources suggest up to 30% of the agency's 357 employees may be laid off, though the agency head stated it's a "reorganization" to optimize internal processes.

Former Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Orijana Mašalė has publicly expressed shock and concern over planned staff reductions at the Innovation Agency, an entity operating under the Ministry of Economy and Innovation. Mašalė announced on Facebook that the agency will significantly cut its workforce, a decision she deems "inadequate" given the current global economic climate.

I learned something that shocked me – the number of employees at the Innovation Agency under the Ministry of Economy and Innovation is being significantly reduced!

— Orijana MašalėAnnouncing her concerns about staff cuts at the Innovation Agency.

"In a world where economic turbulence hits from unexpected places. In a world where Lithuania's competitiveness needs exceptional public sector speed. In a world where Lithuanian business has various windows of opportunity, if only the State can help properly," Mašalė wrote. While affirming her support for efficiency and reduced bureaucracy, she argued that cutting staff in an agency that supports businesses is counterproductive. "I believe that what has just been put on the brakes with all its might," she stated, contrasting it with the need to "step on the gas."

In a world where economic turbulence hits from unexpected places. In a world where Lithuania's competitiveness needs exceptional public sector speed. In a world where Lithuanian business has various windows of opportunity, if only the State can help properly.

— Orijana MašalėHighlighting the challenging global economic context and Lithuania's need for public sector agility.

Sources cited by the news portal lrt.lt indicate that the agency plans to lay off up to 30% of its employees. Currently, the Innovation Agency employs 357 individuals. However, the agency's head, Monika Paulė, described the situation as a "reorganization" rather than outright layoffs. Paulė explained that the goal is to optimize internal processes, suggesting that fewer people will be needed for certain bureaucratic functions.

But in these times, reducing the number of people working to help businesses seems inadequate.

— Orijana MašalėCriticizing the staff reduction plan as counterproductive.

According to lrt.lt, the Ministry of Economy and Innovation has instructed the Innovation Agency to prepare a plan for increasing operational efficiency. This directive appears to be the underlying reason for the restructuring, aiming to streamline operations and potentially reduce costs within the agency.

There are no areas or activities that we will completely abandon. We are talking about a certain regrouping. There are many internal processes that can be optimized. This means that fewer people will be needed for one bureaucratic process or another.

— Monika PaulėExplaining the agency's head's perspective on the restructuring.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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