Dr. Damir Črnčec, the former State Secretary for National Security in Marjan Šarec’s cabinet, has been living in a state-owned apartment with ridiculously low rent for years now. Even though he is no longer working in the Government after the fall of Marjan Šarec’s coalition, he has not yet vacated the state-owned apartment, according to our information. Črnčec has been living in the state-owned apartment on Kotnikova street in Ljubljana, which is managed by the Ministry of Public Administration, since December 2007. It is well-known that the government housing prices are not comparable to actual market prices. But despite the fact that Črnčec also held various positions at the private Faculty of Government and European Studies, where he was even the dean, lecturer and mentor from October 2016 to September 2017, he never moved out of the state-owned apartment, but continued to exploit the benefits of a public administration employee, despite his high income.
Let’s recap. After taking up the post of State Secretary in September 2018, Damir Črnčec moved to the office of the Prime Minister Marjan Šarec from the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces, where he was previously employed. Based on Article 14 of the Officials in the State Administration Bodies Act, Črnčec was assured the same or comparable position in his prior place of employment at the Ministry of Defence with the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces, after the termination of the post of State Secretary.
Therefore, after the fall of Šarec’s Government or after his resignation as State Secretary, Črnčec was entitled to return to his stable and secure post at the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces. For the time of his employment as the State Secretary, Črnčec was also entitled to a state-owned apartment. But according to some media outlets, even though he is no longer employed by the state administration, but by the deputy group of the LMŠ party, he has not yet vacated the state-owned apartment.
Experts believe that this is a serious misuse since the state-owned apartment does not belong to Črnčec in his new position of employment and should have been vacated. We asked Črnčec whether he intends to vacate the apartment, and when. We are still waiting for his answer.
T. F.