Of course, there is no nepotism here.
Unfortunately, stories about local government officials who employ members of their families in local administration bodies and municipal companies are nothing new for Croatia. However, the case of Zoran Nevistić, head of Local Self-Government Department in the City of Zagreb is something really special and probably record-breaking, reports Večernji List on January 13, 2017.
Tireless Nevistić managed to employ as many as eight members of his family in various city institutions and municipal companies. It is impossible to list all of them, particularly since the local media on an almost daily basis discover new family members who are being paid by citizens of Zagreb through their local taxes and fees paid to municipal companies.
For example, the latest discovery concerns a Dražena Nevistić, who is wife of Mr. Nevistić’s nephew who himself is employed by Zagrebparking, a local company which manages city-owned parking lots. Since 2008, Ms. Nevistić has been employed by Zagreb Holding, a large holding company which brings together many of smaller city-owned companies.
But, that is not all. There are rumours about a possible one additional candidate, who is still not an official member of the Nevistić family. Boyfriend of Mr. Nevistić’s daughter reportedly works for the Local Self-Government Department where his future potential father-in-law is the boss.
The list is almost endless, but Mr. Nevistić still claims there is no nepotism here. However, lately he has been rather quite about the whole scandal. He has not commented on the latest revelations, expect at the very beginning when he said that “they have all applied to public competitions and they have all fulfilled the requirements”.
It is not clear what Nevistić plans to do now. Asked whether he might resign, the only answer given by city authorities was that there is no law which would prevent hiring of members of families of high-ranking city officials.
Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić issued his standard promise that relevant city services would check all the allegations of nepotism and, if proven to be true, Nevistić would be sanctioned. Obviously, no one expects that could really happen. Mayor knows perfectly well, and has repeatedly demonstrated it, that he has never ever sanctioned anyone, particularly not for nepotism. He himself claims that it is not his job to punish anyone. Besides, given a large number of political appointees working in the city administration, he would first have to sanction himself.
