Madia reforms OK'd (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, February 23 - Key reforms to Italy's civil service were OK'd by cabinet Thursday as Civil Service Minister Marianna Madia ushered in the final stages of a big shake-up to the country's public administration.
    Among the measures were new assessments for civil servants' performance, the revision of the roles of Italy's police forces and the reorganisation of the firefighting corps. The last five of no fewer than 20 decrees were approved by cabinet.
    Premier Paolo Gentiloni said after the cabinet meeting that "above and beyond discussions on the speed or slowness of reforms, the government is continuing in its path with very significant decisions, from safeguarding savings to urban security to immigration".
    Gentiloni said Italy "shows continuing economic difficulties" but also "very encouraging positive signs" including "extraordinary data on trade, very important results on tax evasion and contradictory data on jobs - those out today were fundamentally positive". He said it would be a "deadly political error if the government depressed or dissipated these signs".
    Gentiloni said that the cabinet had approved a "corrective decree to the tenders code for greater simplicity and transparency and to try to give a contribution to the recovery of tenders and public works".