Entrepreneurs More Corrupt Than Zagreb’s Mayor

An example of what happens when entrepreneurs come to power is “Split’s list” that proved to generate the worst corruption, says Gjenero.

ZAGREB, CROATIA - The current local political scene in Zagreb is not weak, considers political analyst Davor Gjenero. However he stresses that the appearance of a newcomer, more exactly the entrance of entrepreneurs into the political arena for the local elections, could cause a political collapse. One of the reasons cited for this is that the politics is deeply burdened by corruption and affairs.

- I am not ruling out that possibility, even though it still seems unlikely. That is more probable in small places, but in Zagreb something like that is unlikely. However there are exceptions. One such situation occurred in Italy after a court investigation into corruption when the political scene fell apart and a new one was created. However, this political patent is usually for “one use only” and I do not believe that it can be something more than that. An example of that is Zoran Jankovic in Ljubljana, but that is a special situation. That was a political protest – explained Gjenero.

Even though Gjenero considers that the entrepreneurs’ logic is their guarantee for good management, and that they think of running politics in the same way, he believes that it would be very bad for Zagreb because it would open the door for corruption.

- An example of this is “Splitska Lista” (an association running for office for Split’s local government) which proved to be a generator the worst type of corruption.

In principle, that can lead to a worse type of corruption than is happening with the current Zagreb city government led by mayor Milan Bandic – said Gjenero.

Even though the candidature of the entrepreneurs (Velo Misto) could briefly rock Zagreb’s currently calm waters, Gjenero thinks that the current mayor does not have any real competition.

- If Bandic is SDP’s (Social Democratic Party) candidate, he will win the elections again. Realistically, HDZ’s (Croatian Democratic Union) candidate Jasen Mesic does not have a chance and it seems that it is HDZ’s intention to enter a post-coalition in order to control the rule of Zagreb, which will maybe profile Mesic for the elections in 2013 – concluded Gjenero, who does not give Zagreb’s entrepreneur list “Velo Misto” great chances of winning, but does not rule out the possibility of the surprise factor appearing.

What do city politicians and candidates from mayor think about this?

Independent city government member and candidate for mayor, Miroslav Rozic agrees with a part of Gjenero’s analysis and says that entrepreneurs entering city politics is unacceptable.

It is good to have more candidates. But entrepreneurs are concerned with personal interests, and politics is concerned with public and general interests. However, in Croatia everything passes because people are not educated in democracy. Besides that there is a fundamental error in thought. Leading one city is not entrepreneurship, because the city is a consumer. They are capable of making a fortune, but not for social interests. Also, the city must not end the year with a profit, but with a zero or debt, because otherwise it would mean that it did not spend all of the money on its citizens – says Rozic.

One of Milan Bandic’s loudest critics stresses that if entrepreneurs were in office in Zagreb, it would open the door to corruption, adding that it is the opposite practice of what is occurring in Croatia, and the example for it is Bandic.

- Bandic is a politician that became an entrepreneur, which is not rare in Croatia. This is heritage from communist times when assets were earned through social power. In Croatia, you arrive poor, install yourself into a position and pile up assets. The entrepreneurs would now do the opposite. In order to stop paying the mediators, they have become politicians –said Rozic.

Tojic: An entrepreneur would know how to fulfil city projects

On the other hand, independent city government member Stipe Tojcic says that something like this was to be expected, and that he does not see anything bad in an entrepreneur leading the city. Tojcic considers that an entrepreneur would know how to manage projects in Zagreb.

- City politics is pragmatics. You have a budget to fulfil projects. It is not bad for a man that knows how to manage projects to come and lead the city. But it all depends on who that entrepreneur is – said Tojcic. However Tojcic disagrees with Gjnero’s statement that an entrepreneur leading Zagreb could bring greater corruption than is currently in the city under mayor Bandic.

- The city budget is large, and there is always that possibility, but control mechanisms need to be made to monitor it and stop it – said Tojcic.

Kovacevic expects an anti-corruption programme from the entrepreneurs

The former HSP (Croatian Party of Rights) member who is now independent, Pero Kovacevic, is not surprised with this possibility, but asks how real the chances are for them to rise to the throne of Zagreb, which for new is being firmly held by Milan Bandic.

- This is their legitimate right, but the question remains on how successful they would be at the elections and if they could agree on a candidate – says Kovacevic, who expects an anti-corruption campaign from every candidate.

Cicin-Sain: City government did not do anything for entrepreneurs

The idea that the speculations about an entrepreneur entering the race to lead Zagreb is only an introduction, and that the real culmination is expected in autumn is also shared by city HNS (Croatian People’s Party) member Alenka Kosisa Cicin-Sain. The idea “entrepreneur as mayor” could be realised because of the discontent with the current politics in a very important sector of the economy, she considers.

The city government did not do anything for the economy, and they especially minimised small and medium entrepreneurs. We have not created business zones in the city, and I think entrepreneurs can not longer take it. I see their interests here – considers Cicin-Sain.

However, she warns that this would only spread the votes out, which would benefit Bandic in the end.

HDZ’s shiniest star, Jasen Mesic, who Gjenero sees as a star in Zagreb’s political sky in 2013, says that the situation in the city is ripe for change, and thinks that an entrepreneur’s list would be good for the development of the democratic scene.

- Entrepreneurs deserve respect because they add to the development of a public economy. Our stance is that everyone that has something to say can run in the elections. We are not bothered by the development of the democratic scene. That will not harm us because the results of the local elections will only depend on us – concluded Mesic, who does not agree that entrepreneurship in politics is fertile soil for corruption.