Bucharest City Hall has a large apparatus compared to other big cities in Europe.

It has 860 employees, and 10 mayor’s personal advisers for a population of 1.88 million people on a surface of 228 square kilometers. By comparison, Berlin has 207 employees, at a population of 3.46 million on an area of 891 sq km, according to data from the National Council of Small and Medium-Sized Companies in Romania (CNIPMMR).

The council has been critical of the Bucharest City Hall’s plan to create 19 public service companies that will be controlled by the municipality.

CNIPMMR representatives explained that in other EU member states the local authorities normally set up a small number of companies in uncompetitive, subsidized areas. In Vienna, for example, there are three municipal companies, at a number of 2.26 million inhabitants on an area of 414 sq km. Madrid has seven municipal companies at a population of 3.16 million on an area of 605 sq km.

One week ago, the General Council of Bucharest City Hall approved the creation of 19 companies managed by the City Hall that will provide services in energy, public lighting, hospital administration, sports facilities, tourist attractions.

editor@romania-insider.com