Will the promise of the first man of Budva come true? Nikola Jovanović When he took office in early February, his priority would be the professionalization of local administration and municipal enterprises and institutions, and the previous practice of hiring based on political affiliation would finally be abolished. This will become clearer after the completion of two competitions announced by the Municipality of Budva.
A few days ago, Jovanović's administration published the first advertisements for the appointment of municipal officials. Key positions in local government are being filled - the positions of Secretary for Investments and Director of the Local Public Revenue Administration.
The vacancies, which "Vijesti" had access to, are looking for people with a university degree, who have passed the professional exam for work in state bodies, but also with at least three years of work experience in management positions or eight years of work experience in the same or similar positions.
Until now, these positions have been held by members of the political group "Budva Our City", led by Jovanović.
Acting Director of the Local Public Revenue Administration for the past five years, when she was appointed to that position by the then Mayor of the Municipality Marko Carevic, je Vesna KovačevićShe retained this function during Milo Božović, but also during the turmoil in the city administration, when after his arrest the city was first governed by the Vice President of the Municipality Jasna Dokić, and then Nikola Jovanović as vice president, and now as mayor. Kovačević managed to collect taxes and secure revenues of 20 million euros and more almost every year, thus ensuring the financial stability of the tourism metropolis.
Currently, the Acting Secretary for Investment is Masha Radovic who was appointed to that position by Maja Jovanović in mid-2000 and has been his key collaborator ever since.
The competition is open until October 2, when it will be announced who all applied for these positions.
The entire administration has been practically in an acting position for two and a half years, as all secretaries and heads are acting. The chief administrator was selected through a competition. Nevenka Božović Jovović and the chief city architect Jelena Lazic.
Other positions in the administration are acting positions, and the last one was appointed by Jovanović, as "Vijesti" published the day before yesterday. Mirjana Medenica for Acting Secretary of the Secretariat for Urban Planning and Sustainable Development.
The acting manager of the city of Budva is Marijana Božović, Jovanović had previously appointed him as acting secretary of the economy Miško Konic (GP URA staff), previously Goran Radević appointed him as Acting Secretary for Social Affairs, and then entrusted the management of the Secretariat for Communal and Housing Affairs to Desi Flacius who was appointed acting secretary. Jovanović appointed acting secretary for finance Slavko Djukanovic from the European Union, while the acting secretary for local self-government Darko Celebic, and the acting secretary for asset protection is Vlado Ivanovic.
During his election campaign, Jovanović promised the depoliticization and professionalization of public administration in his Platform for Overcoming the Political Crisis and Responsible City Governance.
"We will make jobs available to professionals and skilled personnel instead of the previous bad practices of hiring based on party affiliation. Our goal is to have the most responsible positions filled by the most capable personnel, which is why we will make jobs available to everyone, with full respect for legal criteria. To that end, perhaps for the first time in the field of public affairs, there will be no distribution based on "depth and breadth", but rather staff in local government will be selected through a competition, taking into account professional criteria for certain areas, which will neutralize the influence of politics and political interests," Jovanović promised at the time.
He insisted that the local government agenda in the coming period will be based "on the principles of transparency, professionalization and rationalization of public administration, democracy, full respect for the public interest, dialogue and overcoming artificial divisions imposed on us by bad policies in society."
Jovanović also promised the professionalization of public enterprises.
"In the future, local public enterprises will be managed in a strictly professional and responsible manner because they will be headed by professional staff, and the principle of responsibility will be affirmed by every employee in the enterprises. Those who have abused their employment for years by not coming to work or rarely coming to work will be sanctioned in a legal manner, and there will be a rationalization of jobs and responsibilities with clear procedures. Future managers of public enterprises will have to ensure day and night that our city and our citizens have the quality service they pay for," Jovanović said at the time.
However, many functions are divided exclusively along party lines, that is, divided between the constituents of the informal coalition "Budva our city", the European Alliance, the Civic Movement URA, with the associated member the Democratic Party of Socialists.
Thus, the Civic Movement URA received directorships in the municipal companies Mediterranean Sports Center and Funeral Services, the European Union received the Academy of Knowledge, and the DPS received the Public Utilities Company and Parking Service.
DPS, on whose support the survival of the city administration depends, because without the votes of their seven councilors in the local parliament, neither the Mayor nor the President of the Municipal Assembly would be elected, should also be given the management of the Public Institution "City Theatre", as well as management positions in the Secretariat for Property Protection and the Secretariat for Social Activities.
A bulky device, for salaries of up to 14 million euros
Budva is the unsung champion in Montenegro when it comes to the number of employees who are in the city's manger, or the burden of citizens. Data from the Ministry of Finance from September last year show that the Municipality and public companies, cultural institutions and local media employ as many as 1.771 workers, and it is estimated that there are another 500.
This was announced by the Minister of Finance at the time. Novica Vuković at the parliamentary session, answering the question of the representative of the Democratic Party of Socialists Nikola Milović.
That figure, as is now speculated, considering that employment has continued, is even higher.
Thus, the metropolis of tourism, which has 26 inhabitants, has the largest administration in Montenegro, which annually allocates almost ten million euros from the budget just for the salaries of the employees of the Municipality and its services, and at least another four million are allocated by the companies of which it is the founder.
According to this data, there are as many as 519 workers working in local government bodies, 394 of whom are employed for an indefinite period of time, 95 of whom have contracts for temporary and occasional work, while 30 workers are engaged through service contracts.
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