In Sweden, like in many other democratic countries, it is important to distinguish between politically appointed positions and the positions held by regular employees within the public administration. The rules for regular employees, as public employee, are designed to ensure impartiality, professionalism, and continuity regardless of political shifts.
Read the Swedish version here.
For example, the Swedish government has no authority to replace regular employees in a state agency based on their political affiliation. In Montenegro, it’s a different story. They replace everyone who does not share the same views as their own party, from the janitor to the office worker in a government agency. This has led to a complete breakdown of the country’s authorities.
In Sweden, it doesn’t matter if a public employee doesn’t share the same views as the sitting government. Every public employee has a duty of loyalty to their agency and Swedish society as a whole. If a public employee violates their duties, they face serious consequences.
The hiring of public employee in Sweden vs. Montenegro
In Sweden, public employees in the public administration are typically hired based on their qualifications and competence. Employment conditions are regulated by law and collective agreements. Most public employees have permanent positions and cannot be dismissed without just cause, meaning they cannot be dismissed solely for political reasons.
In Montenegro, it’s different. Instead of qualifications and competence, hundreds of public employees in the public administration have been replaced due to their political affiliation. This has resulted in the collapse of the public administration. The authorities no longer function, and the provision of services to citizens has ceased to work. This has resulted in a dysfunctional society.
The reason for the government replacing many public employees
Montenegro heavily relies on financial support from the EU for its public administration. This has become a challenge when a new government comes to power. The new authorities are quick to replace many regular employees within the public administration. For the government, it’s a way to secure their income by utilizing EU funds available to their friends who secure regular employment.
This situation has created significant instability within the public sector and affects the continuity and professionalism of public administration. It is a complex challenge that Montenegro faces when it depends on external funding to run its public operations.
The government of Montenegro needs external help
Montenegro must, like Sweden, establish a strong tradition of maintaining professionalism and continuity within the public administration regardless of political shifts. This can only be achieved by Montenegro becoming economically self-sustaining and ending its reliance on EU subsidies.
It is crucial for the authorities in Montenegro to understand that it is more important for the government to function efficiently and continue delivering services to citizens regardless of the government’s composition, rather than replacing regular employees to secure salaries.
