By Jagoda Radojcic
There is something tragicomic in changes of government in the European southeast. Unlike the rest of the world, in the Balkan countries, the shift in the political top is the question of survival to tens of thousands of civil servants. Specifically, with the changes of government, are leaving all those who were rigged by the last government, in a wide variety from minister's assistants to cops, porters and cleaners in some district in the middle of nowhere. At the same time are coming the new ones, hungry for power and the safety of working in civil service. In neglected countries seriously eroded by the economic crisis, corruption and the rampant crime that goes back literally to the very tip of the state, with nearly 20 percent of the unemployed in the active working population, employment in the civil service has always been highly appreciated. In our villages since the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until today, the common janitor in the municipality had more worth then writers or journalists. Because while the writers and journalists are mostly poor alcoholics of dubious morality, Mr. Janitor is a serious man with a regular income, who knows many important people, without whose help isn't possible to get into the municipality. (Not accidentally, but many domestic corruption scandals began to unravel around some janitor or chauffeur employed in the civil service).

In Croatia last government tried to cheat the new government on the eve of their fall and 20 days before the election promoted 250 police officers to highest ranks. Unfortunately, the new government had little understanding for this personnel maneuver, and cancelled this promotions and replacing these officers with their own, members of their political parties. Similar situations happened in schools, hospitals, kindergartens€¦since the local political parties have large number of members, it was no problem in quantity to fill all these positions in civil service. And while the school can be led by some driver or accountant, it's little bit more difficult to find a chief of neurosurgery, when there aren't neurosurgeon available in the political party, and the past chief is a member of the opponent political party. After several failed attempts to place on such delicate places loyal criminals, which resulted with bad public image, they've turned to only remaining solution - placing members of political parties prentices (people without any working experience) to different governing functions. Who would object hiring young people?

In a country where for 3,5 years minister of foreign affairs was an intern without one day of tenure (ministerial position was first in his life), where the two assistant ministers and five state secretaries are also apprentices, we have today trainees - advisors in ministries, senior consultants - trainees (these trainees are longtime party members), interns-directors of state enterprises, apprentices-board members. While elsewhere for professional success is vital education, assessment, professional knowledge, experience and achieved results, in the European southeast is crucial party membership. If the man at the right time opts for one of the political parties, regularly attends meetings and actively participate in everything that is considered a €party life' - only sky is the limit. Without one day of work, with university degree, without knowledge of foreign languages a member of political party can easily become a minister, state secretary, chief of neurosurgery€¦.

Therefore, the selection of the proper party and the optimal timing for transfer from one party to another is literally - a matter of life and death. Although the rating of political parties and its politicians can be compared only with the rating of heroin dealers (for example, the organizers of armed robberies have better reputation), there is huge increase of party membership. According to recently published data, just in the first six months of this year in Croatia, the political parties for the first time have 12,971 new enrolled members. Similarly, only 19.6 percent of the members of some parties did not change party, while just over 80 percent membership of the party has changed one or more times. Some of the most prominent political party workers have been changing over the last 15, 20 years since the introduction of multiparty system 7, even 8 times, from the left to the extreme right, depending on how at a certain point which political party was more popular.

Now it is once again time of government change and related changes of political jersey that brings every four years tens of thousands of civil servants to the edge of insanity. Although this all seem like a joke, it's not the case. It's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help us God.