THE MINISTRY of Economy hired two people in March - one holds a Master's degree in Religious studies, and the other one is a Master of Science with a degree in Agronomy, Garden Art, and Landscape Architecture.

The Master of Arts in Religious studies Lana Vukasinovic has a permanent contract since March 6, including a three months probationary period. Her position is Expert Associate in the Office of Project Development and Innovation Quality Assessment within the Department for Selecting, Contracting, and Implementing Projects in the Directorate for European Union Programmes and Projects. One could even say that she is the very first employee in the position whose full name, we assume, only god could be able to repeat on the first attempt. 

Senior Expert Associate and landscape architecture

On March 30, the Master of Science Bernardica Milinovic, who graduated in agronomy, garden art, and landscape architecture, was hired as Senior Expert Associate in the Department of EU Politics of Territorial Cooperation and Macro-regional Development; the Department for Selecting, Contracting and Implementing Projects in Directorate for EU Programmes and Projects. 

She also has a permanent contract with a three months probationary period. 

The decision on employment signed by minister Horvat  

Minister of Economy Darko Horvat signed both decisions on employment. The Master of Arts in Religious studies got the job among 25 applicants, 19 of which met the criteria. Only six candidates took the test, i.e., "evaluation of knowledge, skills, and abilities important for the performance of working duties," which was held on January 27 of this year, and all six candidates met the criteria. Then only five candidates took the English test on February 6. They also met the Ministry of Economy's criteria. 

Test first and then an interview with the Committee 

"After testing, the Committee determined that three candidates met the criteria in the evaluation of knowledge, skills, and abilities, i.e., the first and the second phase of testing, and they also had an interview with the Committee on 17 February 2020", we are quoting the decision on employment signed by the minister. 

The Master of Arts in Religious studies excelled at the test. 

A similar procedure was used with the other job position. Out of 14 applications, seven of them were valid; three candidates were tested; all of them met the criteria, two applicants took the English test. They showed all the required knowledge, so they eventually faced the Committee.

After the interview, the Committee decided that the perfect candidate for the job is the Master of Science who graduated in agronomy, garden art, and landscape architecture. She holds a Ph.D., by the way. 

Criteria and expertise 

There's no doubt that both candidates met the legal requirements, but we wanted to know how the knowledge acquired during education fit into the Ministry of Economy's criteria. 

Their answer has only confirmed what we have already known and written so far, but we will quote it nevertheless: 

"Lana Vukasinovic was accepted into the public service, pursuant to a public tender, with a permanent contract, for the position of expert associate in the Office of Project Development and Innovation Quality Assessment within the Department for Selecting, Contracting and Implementing Projects in the Directorate for European Union Programmes and Projects. In the aforementioned public tender, Lana Vukasinovic was selected as the best candidate among the total of three candidates who met formal requirements and took the test. Lana Vukasinovic met the requirements according to the Rules of Internal Order of the Ministry that requires, in addition to, completed graduate university study program or specialist graduate study program in the field of humanities, social, natural, technical or biotechnical sciences", the Ministry of Economy explains. 

Of course, they did everything according to the law 

There's more:

"Ph.D. Bernardica Milinovic was accepted into the public service, pursuant to a public tender, with a permanent contract, for the position of Senior Expert Associate in the Department of EU Politics of Territorial Cooperation and Macro-regional Development; the Department for Selecting, Contracting and Implementing Projects in Directorate for EU Programmes and Projects. In the aforementioned public tender,  she had better testing results than the total of two candidates who met the formal requirements and took the test. Ph.D. Bernardica Milinovic met the requirements according to the Rules of Internal Order of the Ministry that requires, in addition to, completed graduate university study program or specialist graduate study program in the field of humanities, social, natural, technical or biotechnical sciences", answer from the Ministry of Economy. 

So, during the coronavirus drama, the Croatian state apparatus is teaming up.

Anything else would be a surprise.