Jõhvi – no magnet for justice officials

Photo: Mihkel Maripuu

In spite of premiums and bonuses, only a third of Prisons Department employees moved from Tallinn to Jõhvi. And, some of these only went for a time.

Soon, two months have passed since Ministry of Justice Prisons Department was moved from the capital to Jõhvi. The diligently prepared project, meant to be a showcase of regional development – first central state agency moving to Ida-Viru County – is, in reality, turning into a headache. At least when it comes to personnel.

People are simply unwilling to go to Ida-Virumaa. Or, generally speaking, to leave Tallinn – even with extra payments offered, as was the lot of those going to Jõhvi. Humanly speaking, it is not only the state official concerned, but also the spouse, for instance. Where will he/she find employment. And the kids – how about school, kindergarten?

Viewed separately, moving Prisons Department may not look like a bid deal. With its staff of 30 persons, it is among the smallest of state agencies. So, if something goes wrong, we might say: no problem, we’ll get over it, the state won’t collapse. However, in the bigger picture, it’s quite a lesson.

When, at the beginning of January, minister of agriculture Helir-Valdor Seeder proposed moving 13 state agencies from Tallinn, he was inspired precisely by the Prisons Department thing. Had Mr Seeder been aware of the actual difficulties, he may have taken a more cautious tone.

Firstly: it is not clear at all, how many people are now working in Jõhvi, at Prisons Department. In its press release, Ministry of Justice stated that 28 jobs have been moved to Jõhvi, plus deputy secretary general Priit Kama and his assistant. So, supposedly 30 people.

But visiting Prisons Department website and checking the employees’ contacts, we are greeted by big holes: service relationship suspended, post vacant, service relationship suspended etc. Posts are vacant today. They were vacant last month; and actually, for a big part of last year already – as the Ida-Viru talk came up.

A bunch of people, listed in the Jõhvi Prisons Department, never moved there from Tallinn; they came from Viru Prison. It may, perhaps, be said that personnel problems springing from the order to move were laid on Viru Prison, within the system. The department did get its staff; now let Viru Prison see to it, where they get new people.

True: none can claim that the «moving problems» came as total surprise. According to former minister of justice Kristen Michal – for during his times the decision was taken – it was clear from the start, that a large share of people would be unwilling to move away from the capital. «I told the parliament, government allotted €380,000 extra a year, there would be bonuses – we never concealed that,» he said.

The facts are plain and simple, then: regional policy comes with a price. Which will have to be paid.

For an observer, the question may rather be: has the price really been acknowledged and expressed? Or is the problem being swept under a rug by pleasant PR-talk? Considering that, in internal security, organising such matters is actually relatively easy.