A beggar with two diplomas gets job offers

It is ten o’clock sharp and the Zagreb citizen Ivica Galic appears at the same place – Tkalciceva street. He has recently become a beggar with two diplomas and it is his tenth day of begging in the street.

Everyone asks about diplomas

In his box there are 10 kn notes. He doesn’t shout, he doesn’t talk and the passers-by don’t just pass. They ask him about his diplomas, his working experience and his life. They have read about him in Vecernji list, they say.

His story moved numerous readers of Vecernji list. Many of them called the editor’s office and offer jobs.

- It’s great. I am looking forward for every call and if I can help with my knowledge, I am ready for the job interview – says Galic after we contacted him about the first offer that appeared in our editor’s office.

He is a bit ashamed and he says in a low voice: - I didn’t mean to get any attention from the media. I just wanted the police to leave me alone.

 - I believed I was going to manage. I don’t look for anything I haven’t earned. I just want a job interview and I want to fulfill the conditions – he says.

There are calls from all over Croatia. Miho Prlenda from Dubrovnik offers the job in a private firm. They need a marketing expert. There are many IT jobs as well offered by the numerous entrepreneurs from Zagreb. He also got an offer from the family firm Dabic.

I don’t want him to be hungry

- I run a small family company which is small but I am not hungry and I don’t want to see him hungry either – Branko Dabic says.

The owner of Dubrovnik firm with the branch in Zagreb asks us to tell Ivica that he is an employed person from tomorrow on.

- Please tell him to get out of the street. The problem has been solved – Miho Prlenda says.

But this message hasn’t reached Ivica Galic. The police arrested him again at noon and he hasn’t come out yet. It happened for the fourth time.

- He has been taken into custody of the Minor Offence Court and we are not in charge any more. He violated the article No 11 of the Law of Public Order. He has been arrested for the fourth time – they said in Zagreb Police Headquarters.

Citizens: Don’t let him be desperate; things will get better for sure

Just to remind, Ivica Galic got two diplomas, one in economy and the other one in IT. One diploma is from the USA, the other one from Zagreb. He worked in Pliva and after his department was made redundant, he went to work in Ericsson. After that he worked illegally but he never managed to get a permanent job.

- It’s simply unbelievable. I have seen the police arresting him several times. I have seen the world and I have met many people who did the same when they were in no-way-out situations. They weren’t bothered by the police and they didn’t have any problems. The most important thing for him is not to lose his faith and not to give up. I have read about him and I admire him – said Miljenko Berislavic, one of the people who gave support.