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Requirements: not for everyone
At the end of last week, the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (AMF) announced the selection for the post of Secretary of the Permanent Representation of Lithuania to the EU. This is already the fourth competition for such positions in the last little more than half a year.
As is the case when working in one of the most important or even the most important diplomatic missions of Lithuania, the requirements are significant: higher or higher education; be able to speak at least two foreign languages, of which English and French are at least advanced; be able to work with a computer; know the rules of administrative work, document management, preparation of legal acts; to be able to plan, organize their activities, analytically evaluate and systematize information; fluent presentation of ideas in writing and orally; Be eligible to obtain permission to work or access classified information.
The selection notice also lists up to 15 employee roles: from assisting the assigned person (diplomat), providing information, translations to documents, preparing official visits, maintaining social accounts, and website. Administrative-technical work experience is indicated as an advantage for the candidate.
According to diplomats working in Brussels, working in these positions is certainly not “carrying papers or making coffee”, but serious work with the EU institutions, content, etc. t.
“The main reason for staff turnover in the last six months is that staff gain experience, knowledge and then work in the EU institutions while working at the Representation,” Delfi officially explained to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February, when Competitions were held for two of those positions.
By the way, almost the same competence of the secretary in the Lithuanian Mission to NATO was announced.
1700 euros, a lot or a little?
On the opportunities, remuneration and social guarantees provided by the employer, in this case the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, only very briefly: “The employee will have a fixed-term employment contract. The official salary coefficient is 5.89 “.
Therefore, a fixed-term employment contract means that the duration of service in the civil service is not counted, and the professional scale will not be very successful, the more the stability is not worth, since the employment contract will expire late or early and you will have to reapply for the same position or find another job.
Eurai
A coefficient of 5.89 means just over € 1,000 a month before taxes. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this coefficient is applied when the employee’s income related to employment is not subject to tax in accordance with the procedure established by the laws of the Republic of Lithuania. It is true that this amount is further multiplied by the local standard of living standard established by the Government. T. and. It costs almost € 1,300 before taxes. Approximately € 970 per month is left “on hand” after deducting Belgian taxes.
In requesting a clarification, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “employees have chosen to pay taxes to the Republic of Lithuania, therefore, the official salary coefficient applicable to this position does not decrease and is 7.59, as provided in the Diplomatic Service Law “. The proposed secretary’s salary is therefore between 1,669 euros before taxes and between 1001 euros after taxes “.
In Lithuania, this is perhaps an enviable salary above the national average, but in Belgium it is less than the minimum, which amounts to about 1,360 euros “on hand”. It is the salary offered that has caused outrage among some Lithuanians in Belgium: supermarket cashiers, who do not need higher education or meet other high standards, earn more.
For years, Belgian unions have been running a “Fight for € 14” campaign to raise the hourly minimum wage from € 9.8 to € 14 before tax, to around € 1,600 per month after tax. 1.5 million The Belgian union FGTB, which has members, says that about 6% of the population lives in the country. employees earning less than € 1,091 per month “in the hands”. According to the FGTB, “they live in poverty”.
1.5 million The Belgian union FGTB, which has members, says that about 6% of the population lives in the country. employees earning less than € 1,091 per month “in the hands”. According to the FGTB, “they live in poverty”.
On the other hand, an additional monthly allowance of 724.8 euros is offered to the secretary for the provision of accommodation if the staff member presents a rental contract concluded in his own name.
Therefore, the total amount exceeds 1700 euros (the costs of moving from Lithuania to Belgium and back to the employee (excluding family members) can also be reimbursed). The website numbeo.com, which compares the cost of living in cities around the world, shows that living in Brussels is almost 1.7 times more expensive than in Vilnius, and for example renting a studio of 18 square meters in the Brussels’ most decent district can cost up to 600 euros a month.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Many job offers: we lose the competition
At the Lithuanian-Facebook group in Belgium, one of the jobs offered was becoming a scaffold installer: no higher education, no knowledge of multiple languages, or the need to obtain permission to work with “Restricted Use” documents. In addition to a salary of € 1650-2470 per month (depending on experience and willingness to work), accommodation, transport from work to work, clothing, etc. were offered.
Another example is the € 1,000 scholarship offered to students in the European Parliament, and the smallest category of staff in the EU institutions receives around € 2,500. euros before tax. NATO has now announced a “Young Professionals” program, which offers jobs to young people (21 and over) with little experience. Salary – 4346.80 euros before taxes.
NATO has announced a “Young Professionals” program, which offers jobs to young people (21 and over) with little experience. Salary – 4346.80 euros before taxes.
Lithuanian diplomats make no secret that Lithuania loses significantly in the competitive fight for skilled and loyal employees, because mission salaries are not competitive. The Foreign Ministry also declares that it is aware of the situation, but is not very capable of changing it.
“If you ask whether employees employed in diplomatic missions are paid a competitive salary, our answer would be that the further we go, the more we begin to delay the averages paid in the country of residence.” But a revision of these wages would significantly increase the spending of the state budget. As we can see and experience in trying to solve other problems of the diplomatic service related to higher costs, such proposals do not receive much support so far, “said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its response to Delfi.
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