BAKU - Azerbaijani civil servants would no longer need to retake examinations to continue serving under a proposed Civil Service Code approved by parliament in its first reading on Sept. 30.
The change was explained by Haji Mirhashim Seyid, head of the Milli Majlis department for state-building, administrative and military legislation, according to Vesti Baku.
A certificate would remain mandatory for initial entry into the civil service. Once hired, however, employees’ continued work would be assessed under new rules, and they would not have to sit another exam simply to renew a certificate.
How the Current System Works
Under the current law, a civil servant must take an exam and obtain a new certificate during the final year of an existing certificate’s validity. After two repeat certifications, the most recent certificate becomes permanent.
The draft code removes that requirement for officials already in service, leaving the examination barrier at the entry stage. The proposed code consists of 15 chapters and 94 articles.
The bill published by the Milli Majlis would repeal six existing laws when the code takes effect, including the law on civil service and the law governing civil servants’ ethical conduct.
Because the proposal has passed only its first reading, its provisions may still change during further parliamentary consideration.