In the fifth year of the war, it was finally decided to cut the number of officials: more than 4,000 positions will be removed from state bodies

In central executive bodies they plan to cut more than 4 thousand vacant positions. The optimization of the state apparatus also foresees a reduction in the number of deputy ministers and heads of other central executive bodies. On 6 October 2026, Serhiy Koretskyi said this while outlining plans to improve the effectiveness of public administration.

According to him, at the first stage the reductions will concern vacant positions. At the same time, the final structure and size of the state apparatus are to be determined after a functional diagnosis is conducted.

“As part of the optimization and improvement of the efficiency of the state apparatus, more than 4 thousand vacant positions are planned to be cut in central executive bodies at the first stage,” — reported Serhiy Koretskyi.

He noted that they will first check the functions of state bodies — in particular, how well they correspond to current realities and the state’s priorities.

“The most important thing is that we are conducting a functional diagnosis of the state apparatus. We will check what functions the bodies have and whether they correspond to the realities and priorities of the state, and only then will we determine the structure and the final staff size,” — the official said.

They also plan to review the size of the managerial staff. The number of deputy ministers, according to Koretskyi, will be tied to the volume of tasks of the specific agency. As a result, their number is planned to be reduced by about 20%. For deputy heads of other central executive bodies a reduction of almost 18% is expected.

The reform should also concern the training and professional development of civil servants. The training system is planned to be linked to the specific tasks employees perform in their positions. For young people the authorities plan to introduce additional information measures and internship programs. A separate program for veterans is also envisaged.

According to Serhiy Koretskyi, the Council on Public Administration, which includes representatives of the government, parliament and the expert community, has already resumed work. During the meeting participants were presented with a detailed plan of further changes and responsible persons were assigned for each direction.

The stated goal of the reform is to create a professional state apparatus that will carry out the state’s tasks faster and more effectively. At the same time, the scale of the planned changes will mean not only a formal reduction of vacant positions but also a review of the functions and structure of central executive bodies.