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YUGOSLAVIA |
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YUGOSLAVIA |
RELATION WITH THE PROFESSION
1. Central Administration
Employees entering the central government are mostly law school graduates and little preference is shown for those that have completed PA programs (there have been approximately one hundred and seventy of these graduates annually). In addition, there are graduates of other faculties such as organisational science and political science and particular sections of the public administration, depending on the sector, employ economists, engineer’s, etc.
In general, central government institutions are still heavily biased in favour of law graduates; only twenty percent of the total number of employees are not lawyers. Since there is no specialised public administration school, there are no specific requirements. Majoring in a PA stream or earning a master’s degree in this field gives some edge but is not required for an entry level position in central government. A master’s degree provides a distinct advantage for some higher posts or managerial position.
In some sectoral or service areas, graduate diplomas in specialised fields are required; health, agriculture, meteorology, etc. In some cases, students with degrees from the Faculty of Organisational Science have an advantage, e.g., in informatics, personnel policy, etc. Graduates in political science are likely to satisfy the entry requirements for positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of the Interior may give preference to someone with a diploma from the recently established four-year program of the Police Academy, and the chances of obtaining employment in that ministry are certainly greater if the candidate holds a degree from the Higher School of Internal Affairs. Law graduates, however, have the best chances; the ratio is one to four for positions, even in the specialised institutions mentioned earlier due to tradition, continuity and the belief among many recruiters that law schools offer more suitable professional skills. Where political loyalty is a pre-condition, as in the interior and foreign affairs ministries, this criteria dominates.
2. Sub-National Administration
Access to local administration is available to law graduates no matter which major they took during their studies. The situation at the local level is similar to the central one in terms of selection criteria. A preliminary condition to reach higher positions (e.g., chairman of a committee, head of a department or the mayor of a municipality) is loyalty to a political party. Therefore, the administrative system in Yugoslavia is not yet merit-based, but rather spoils-based.
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