I have a look at the Ministers of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure Croatia has had over the last 20 years. In the last article I talked about HDZ’s hierarchy of incompetence. Looking at the transport ministers over the last 20 years you can see that they all moved up the hierarchy from local politician to parliamentary representative and then minister.
Božidar Kalmeta 2003-2011 (HDZ)
Has a degree in Agronomy. Worked in Maraska from 1982-1993 as a production manager and technologist. Was Mayor of Zadar from 1994 to 2003.
He became ministar under Ivo Sanader in 2003. With his education and professional background how did he become minister of transport and infrastructure? Was it his Lions Club membership?
During his time as ministar the A1 motorway was opened. According to rumours A1 went well over budget due to an open checkbook. I know someone who was offered 1 million kuna, pola meni pola tebi, for absolutely nothing and told noone will do anything about it.
He always had amnesia when corruption was exposed and it is possible he, like others in HDZ, suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder) a mental condition where you have two or more separate personalities that control your behaviour at different times. Such was the case in the Remorker scandal –
https://express.24sata.hr/top-news/sad-ispada-da-samo-kalmeta-nista-nije-znao-22935
Then there was the painting of the tunnels –
https://express.24sata.hr/top-news/afera-bojanja-tunela-vec-10-godina-nema-sudenja-24180
“Kalmetina”, the most expensive road in Croatia that was nicknamed after him –
https://express.24sata.hr/top-news/kako-je-kalmeta-napravio-najskuplju-cestu-u-hrvatskoj-1304
Zlatko Komadina 2011 – 2012 (SDP)
Went to Technical university where he finished a diploma in thermo energetics.
Had about 10 years experience as a Specialist engineer in the manufacture and assembly of marine equipment at the Shipyard “3. maj”,
Was Prefect (Župan) of Primorsko goranske County from 2001-2011.
Was minister for only 1 year due to illness.
In his defence he had 10 years experience in the Maritime industry.
Siniša Hajdaš Dončić 2012 – 2016 (SDP)
Dr. Siniša Hajdaš Dončić. Doctor in Economics. Author of several academic publications and research articles which were mainly focused on tourism.
Lecturer at business school. Was head of the department for economy, agriculture and tourism at Krapina-Zagorje County and then director of the development agency. He later served as Prefect (Župan) of the Krapina-Zagorje County between June 2009 and April 2012.
With his academic and work background he could have passed as minister of tourism. Minister of transport was a bit of stretch if you ask me.
Oleg Butković 2016- present (HDZ)
Degree in Nautical sciences.
Major of Novi Vinodolski 2005-2016.
OK his degree is at least in the field of this ministry. However, his professional background is being mayor of a tourist town that has less than 5000 people.
I’ve looked at other countries and they are similar. OK, sometimes its good to get someone that is not in the sector as they have a different perspective etc. However, to have the above for 20 years?
The reason I bring this up is because I ask what if we put the best people in for each position like they do for the Croatian Soccer team. Is it possible there is no one better than these people in Croatia? Should political parties only put party members in as a minister?
Would the country have had better results if there was someone better than these people put in that position all these years?
Would an expert in this field have different priorities in this ministry or maybe a vision or program none of these guys could produce thanks to their lack of expertise? I will try to answer these questions in the next post.
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