We are committed to providing job opportunities for professionals and skilled individuals, moving away from the outdated practice of hiring based on political affiliations.

With this statement, upon taking office as the President of the Municipality of Budva at the start of February this year, Nikola Jovanovic expressed the intentions of his administration.

“Our aim is to position the most qualified personnel in the most responsible roles, which is why we will open job opportunities to all, adhering strictly to legal standards. Perhaps, for the first time in public administration, there will not be a distribution based on ‘depth and breadth’, but rather a selection of local government personnel through competitive processes, emphasizing professional qualifications relevant to specific sectors. This will diminish the influence of politics and political motives,” Jovanović stated during his platform aimed at addressing the political crisis and ensuring responsible city governance, heralding a new era and putting an end to the traditional approach of hiring party affiliates, friends, and kin that has long prevailed in Budva.

Nonetheless, over the past month and a half, a flurry of job advertisements from companies and local media has led to nearly a hundred hirings, with only a few able to apply due to these “rush” advertisements, which were posted with a mere three-day application window. This approach seemingly undermines Jovanović’s clear commitment to the depoliticization and professionalization of public administration.

The Municipality of Budva has, in fact, continued the legal practice of advertising positions with a 15-day application period, as evidenced by the recent announcements for temporary positions of three fire protection inspectors for the municipal Protection and Rescue Service.

However, this standard has not been upheld by the Municipal Company, Radio Television Budva, or the Parking Service. The management of these entities, funded by taxpayer money, has opted for three-day application windows for their job advertisements.

On June 23, the Parking Service published an advertisement for recruiting “spider” vehicle drivers, providing an eight-day application deadline. Prior to this, as noted on the Employment Agency of Montenegro’s website, they had also published two other ads for recruiting drivers and assistant drivers for horizontal signaling equipment with a three-day deadline.

On June 13, Radio Television Budva issued several advertisements, each allowing only three days for applications, to fill ten temporary positions for journalists, announcers, sound engineers, program engineers, and cameramen.

The situation is particularly concerning with the Municipal Company. In early June, “Vijesti” reported that this municipal company, which is set to receive nearly four million euros from the city budget this year, has advertised for an executive director and additionally has been recruiting up to 50 permanent workers.

From May 15 to 30, according to a review by “Vijesti” of records from the Employment Agency of Montenegro, this company advertised positions for various roles including four manual workers, eleven collectors, three communal animal hygiene workers, and others, totaling a diverse range of over 50 workers.

Additionally, since the beginning of June, approximately ten more advertisements have been released for 30 additional positions.

The utility company is seeking to hire several roles through three-day advertisements, including 13 manual workers, drivers, a billing officer, and several security guards.

The leadership of the Municipal and Parking Services is expected to be filled by members of the Democratic Party of Socialists, but board meetings have yet to convene in accordance with the political agreement established between Jovanović’s group “Budva Our City” and the DPS, which facilitated city management through project support.

The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) provided “project support” to the political group “Budva Our City – Nikola Jovanović,” along with the European Union and the Civic Movement URA, allowing for the formation of a new city administration and the election of municipal leaders.

For perhaps the first time in public sector hiring, there would be no distribution based on “depth and breadth”; instead, local government employees will be selected through competitive processes that prioritize professional qualifications relevant to specific fields, effectively reducing the impact of political motives, Jovanović emphasized in his platform aimed at resolving the political crisis and ensuring responsible city management.

News