Tadić on "rationalization" of state administration

Serbian President Boris Tadic says he is not sure he has enough strength to carry out a downsizing, i.e., "rationalization" of the state administration. “I’m not sure I have the strength to carry out the rationalization… It means changing the Election Law, changing the Constitution,” he stressed. Tadic on "rationalization" of state administration “Is that possible? I hope to God! I won’t give up. I’m never going to give up on anything. That’s my obligation to citizens. Will this be possible? I hope so,” he addressed students a Students Conference yesterday. The president pointed out that the ideal number of ministries for the state such as Serbia would be between ten and 15 and that the number of MPs should be between 100 and 150, but he also added that “one should not have an illusion that it would reduce the number of employees in the state administration”. “Because if you cut down the number of ministries or merge them, that doesn’t mean that you have to have state secretaries instead of ministers who will organize the work of the state administration,” he explained. Boris Tadic (Tanjug) Not enough money to invest in future Tadic pointed out that the Serbian economy was in a very difficult position and that was the reason why the state “does not have enough money to invest in future, in science, in education” in a way which would bring quick results and added that it was a great structural problem of our society. “I have no responsibility when it comes to budget policy, but I do have political responsibility. But I think that this government should not be remembered only for building roads, for going toward European integrations only formally but for investing in science as well,” he stressed. Speaking about “brain drain”, the president said that the state could not prevent migration of highly educated people. “The state does not have a good measuring instrument, therefore the biggest talents escape abroad because somebody out there has greater possibility to offer them better conditions,” he pointed out and added that migrations were assumption of progress. “System needs more rational foundations” Tadic stressed that one of the main problems that prevent the country’s progress was unwillingness of people to be mobile and their irrationality. “We have an immanent tendency to stay in the same place. To build a house of solid material in which the entire family will live, not just dad but also grandfather and great-grandfather if possible, and grandson and his heirs… Because a wolf can come and blow our house away. We’re living a fairytale life. Only we spent enormous money on investments in completely meaningless projects instead on the economy,” he pointed out. The president stated that the entire system should have more rational foundations and “the economy needs to measure its own needs with absolute precision”. “That’s Chamber of Commerce’s job. I’m not in charge of the economy. I’m only a plain president of the republic. I’m only a transmission,” he said. Giving youth chance – mistake or not Speaking about why the state does not employ more young people in the administration, the president said that wages in the state administration were too low which was discouraging the best students. Tadic pointed out that he had included many young people in the work of his cabinet but that “he is not sure whether he made a mistake or not giving them a chance”. “I included a very large number of young people in my team, which is a good thing. Experience is irreplaceable in politics, but age is still an undisputed factor in good and thorough gaining of experience,” he explained. “I had a man who was 32 when he became foreign minister. My secretary general was the same age, chief of staff the same,” the president said. “Those are the people who graduated from faculties immediately before that. Even today I don’t know if I made a mistake or not,” Tadic concluded.

Tadić on "rationalization" of state administration

“Is that possible? I hope to God! I won’t give up. I’m never going to give up on anything. That’s my obligation to citizens. Will this be possible? I hope so,” he addressed students a Students Conference yesterday.

The president pointed out that the ideal number of ministries for the state such as Serbia would be between ten and 15 and that the number of MPs should be between 100 and 150, but he also added that “one should not have an illusion that it would reduce the number of employees in the state administration”.

“Because if you cut down the number of ministries or merge them, that doesn’t mean that you have to have state secretaries instead of ministers who will organize the work of the state administration,” he explained.

Not enough money to invest in future

Tadić pointed out that the Serbian economy was in a very difficult position and that was the reason why the state “does not have enough money to invest in future, in science, in education” in a way which would bring quick results and added that it was a great structural problem of our society.

“I have no responsibility when it comes to budget policy, but I do have political responsibility. But I think that this government should not be remembered only for building roads, for going toward European integrations only formally but for investing in science as well,” he stressed.

Speaking about “brain drain”, the president said that the state could not prevent migration of highly educated people.

“The state does not have a good measuring instrument, therefore the biggest talents escape abroad because somebody out there has greater possibility to offer them better conditions,” he pointed out and added that migrations were assumption of progress.

“System needs more rational foundations”

Tadić stressed that one of the main problems that prevent the country’s progress was unwillingness of people to be mobile and their irrationality.

“We have an immanent tendency to stay in the same place. To build a house of solid material in which the entire family will live, not just dad but also grandfather and great-grandfather if possible, and grandson and his heirs… Because a wolf can come and blow our house away. We’re living a fairytale life. Only we spent enormous money on investments in completely meaningless projects instead on the economy,” he pointed out.

The president stated that the entire system should have more rational foundations and “the economy needs to measure its own needs with absolute precision”.

“That’s Chamber of Commerce’s job. I’m not in charge of the economy. I’m only a plain president of the republic. I’m only a transmission,” he said.

Giving youth chance – mistake or not

Speaking about why the state does not employ more young people in the administration, the president said that wages in the state administration were too low which was discouraging the best students.

Tadić pointed out that he had included many young people in the work of his cabinet but that “he is not sure whether he made a mistake or not giving them a chance”.

“I included a very large number of young people in my team, which is a good thing. Experience is irreplaceable in politics, but age is still an undisputed factor in good and thorough gaining of experience,” he explained.

“I had a man who was 32 when he became foreign minister. My secretary general was the same age, chief of staff the same,” the president said.

“Those are the people who graduated from faculties immediately before that. Even today I don’t know if I made a mistake or not,” Tadić concluded.