Meet the Mighty State of Uhljebistan in Croatia

Can learning one word of a foreign language change your understanding of that country and your relationships with your local friends?
It did with me.
The day I learned the word Uhljeb and its effect on Croatian society, Croatia changed for me, and so did my relationships with many of my Croatian friends.
Find out how Croatia really works be entering insides the walls of the Mighty State of Uhljebistan, a country within a country in Croatia.
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Want to learn more about the realities of living in this flawed but majestic country? Our new book, Croatia, a Survival Guide for Foreigners is now available on Amazon. www.amazon.com/Croatia-Surviv...
Video produced by Igor Vuk of Wolf Media.
For your daily dose of Croatia, check out www.total-croatia-news.com
Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn - / paul-bradbury-58662a85

[@RafoBobanZDS]

Thank you Paul for fighting for Croatia in your own way!

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks - I can't deny I like living here. Lots more videos to come if you want to subscribe.

[@melaniab3482]

Here, here!

[@harleymann2086]

Great video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.

[@kenlee6838]

You are doing more for Croatian tourism and marketing than half of people employed in those sectors here

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha, but in all probability, so did you...

[@omertaala]

Once again Paul you nailed it! Alkar Paul u sridu 👌

[@PaulBradbury]

haha thanks - lots more coming if you want to subscribe

[@kocostamatis3080]

Well there it is!! 🎯 Bless you Paul. Ps..that little bit of optimism towards the end is priceless and very welcomed. 🥂

[@PaulBradbury]

A little bit of positivity never killed anyone

[@importedvixen]

Absolutely nail it👌🏻👌🏻 I left Croatia 1998 ..I had my own business since I was 19 but can’t have any success because of inspectors (you have to bribe them a lot if you want to survive.) I struggled 7 years and then went to work on cruise liners to escape that madness. 25 years is gone since I left but I still have that bitter taste in my mouth every time I land in Zagreb. It’s hard to explain to my British husband how I feel because all he can see is that beautiful country.. One need to feel on your own skin ,then one can know what is Uhljeb,nepotism ,bribe and injustice .. So many young highly professional and educated people arrived in Manchester area ( where we lived) because they don’t want for their children to grow up in environment like that …

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks for sharing. I do see small signs of hope that things are slowly changing

[@importedvixen]

@@PaulBradbury hopefully .. I wish to be better for generations to come.. for us is unfortunately too late

[@UrbanHack1]

ne pretjeruj!

[@importedvixen]

@@UrbanHack1 u cemu?

[@melaniab3482]

I'm kinda stuck here because of what was done to my husband to make it unlikely he could immigrate out... Don't want to go into details... But it's hard to be here while feeling that bitterness. Hard to see so many incapable people in positions where their mistakes can mess with people's lives, yet they don't take it seriously unless it's someone they know. It's harder for me than those who just think this is the only way there is because I was raised elsewhere and have seen greater efficiency and capable people actually invested in their work. My husband's businesses all failed because of his refusal to pay bribes. And, his refusal to join the most powerful party. I don't know if I could ever have the pride I used to associate with this country that I had before living here and seeing life through the eyes of someone isn't in the party.

[@boris19548]

You're so right about uhljeb culture, it's not only in Croatia, I'd say all former Yugoslavia countries apart maybe Slovenia have a same problem.

[@tomislavbrlek6940]

As a Croatian living in Slovenia for the past 6 years I would say it does not, or it is not as pronounced as in Croatia. In Croatia, it is already normal and culturally accepted.

[@paco9007]

​@@tomislavbrlek6940 You are talking about the topic pretty much opposite then the Slovenians themselves. Working and employment in public services in Slovenia is even worse in some aspects then in Croatia, full of corruption and mobing.

[@josipag2185]

Whole Balkans, all the way, Greece also, they are all mafia states. Last year, one Slovene told me it is like that in Slovenia also, but less noisy, and that their youngsters go to Austria.

[@PaulBradbury]

You are probably right - which country is the worst for Uhljeb culture, do you think?

[@vordag]

everyone thinks that his own country is the worst one but in reality more you go to the south-east its getting worse

[@teokastelan2930]

You nailed it Paul ! I met a few foreigners who leave in Croatia permanently. But they know very little about Croatia. Most of my family lives in USA same thing ! I guess that’s how it goes you can’t live in two places at once. I watch a few of your videos. It must be a year ago. I think that KZbin disconnected my bell reminder. I will check your content more often. Thanks !

[@PaulBradbury]

haha thanks

[@ivangalovic9339]

Totalno ste u pravu

[@PaulBradbury]

haha thanks

[@NenadBach]

Not the main reason but certainly major one for me leaving Croatia specifically Rijeka in 1984. Got exhausted fighting incompetent idiots in the position of power. Sad but true not much changed. Creative class would love to build this Godgiven beautiful country but can’t afford to waste their lives on stupidity. Thank you Paul, you are one of us. Brave one. Courage is the key to life itself

[@PaulBradbury]

It is changing slowly i think. Better times are coming.

[@IvanBalen-mr4pv]

Croatia is certainly not the only country that has this particular problem. I'm sure that nepotism/cronyism exists in the UK as well but is perhaps not nearly as widespread as here. You ended the video on a positive note so let's just be optimistic.

[@PaulBradbury]

There is a lot to be positive about in Croatia, despite its problems

[@jirihutecka9020]

I worked in Croatia(cres) in the kitchen for couple of months last year and I loved it apart from a fact that I got really bad covid at the end of the summer so I left earlier. I want to live very simple life. Just riding bike, swimming in the sea, relaxing and work just to get basic stuff(so maybe delivery on the bike at some tourist resort or something would be great) I also can imagine that I would really enjoy winter in Croatia. When it's calmer with less tourists. Just hiking in nature..

[@PaulBradbury]

Winter in Croatia is really great. Very, very relaxed.

[@shko-mi]

That is the single biggest and by far most important challenge Croatia is facing at the moment! Interestingly, it is actually something we inherited from Yugoslavia and socialism where a single party was in charge and you had to be a part of it to succeed. Now, while I feel like all the press coverage did impose negative connotations of being an uhljeb onto many young people (at least the highly educated urban ones), it is still so omnipresent that most people just take it for granted and do not believe there is an alternative. Thus, the change will come with time, mostly simply by younger generations entering the workforce. Also, a controbuting factor is, funnily, the fact that public sector salaries are so low they make uhljebstvo somewhat unnatractive - making uhljebs rely upon bribery and straightforward corrpution. Therefore, the path to victory might be to simply expand USKOK's activities from large scale affairs to hard pressing low-level officials. Fun topic! 😄🤷‍♂️

[@PaulBradbury]

Yes agree

[@melaniab3482]

In the small town I'm in, it's exactly like that .. people simply don't understand that things can function differently...

[@ruzina_mlijecnica]

Well, thanks for sharing the truth! This was so well said, in a way... and yeah, I am one of those young people who immigrated from Croatia, 85% of that exact reason! It was very frustrating for me to watch since young age those things, especially because my parents had a very hard time before, and by paradox my father is ingenieur (now retired) but he never got recognition and praise, not because he was bad at it, mostly because my family was never a part of that certain political choice outthere. It sucked, but what to do. I still love my homeland as a beautiful nature place & rich culture of it and I am happy to visit, but I am still strongly repealed by exactly those things you mentioned in this video. Warm regards!

[@PaulBradbury]

Sorry to hear of your experience. I do feel things are changing slowly, so maybe see you back here in a few years?

[@ruzina_mlijecnica]

@@PaulBradbury I also have a feeling that things are changing - slowly 🐌 yes! We will see, I personally did set up my roots now in another country, since I married a foreigner as well, but Croatia sounds still like one of those nice options for many of us - to return for "retirement mode" or sooner, depending on a situation.

[@melaniab3482]

Watching the talented, capable, and honest workers struggle is actually the hardest part for me. It makes me wonder how far ahead and much life would be better for EVERYONE here if the capable were in those key positions. There is so much wasted talent!

[@ruzina_mlijecnica]

@@melaniab3482 Croatia would be really at the same point as Switzerland at that dreamy situation, possibly even better, but yeah...

[@gavijal]

Just one side note - hljeb is Croatian word for bread as well. It’s a bit archaic, and word kruh is more commonly used, but it’s Croatian and doesn’t have any connection to Serbia in this case. That’s why you have Hlebinje.

[@RosilindJukic]

This video is everything. Thank you!!

[@PaulBradbury]

haha thanks - lots more coming if you want to subscribe

[@serious_filip522]

I've been binge watching for a couple of hrs now, your content is really refreshing. As a Zagrepčan, I can completely empathize with you.

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha, you will need medication after 2 hours fo me

[@ovajonaj7820]

There is a decent amount of mouth breathers as well.

[@user-ng1if7xf4l]

Yes! Bravo!

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks. Lots more coming if you want to subscribe

[@siomavolon9184]

Thank you Paul

[@PaulBradbury]

Nema na cemu

[@kungfukiwi]

Great work Paul. Really well put. I completely agree.

[@PaulBradbury]

Thank you - lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@mibict]

Yes! You got it right. The real problem is people with a very little knowledge or capabilities working on very demanding positions, making wrong decisions, and not knowing how wrong they are....

[@PaulBradbury]

Sadly I agree

[@mibict]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

[@sedeslav]

Nije mi zanimljivo ono o čemu ljudi govore, nego ono o čemu gromoglasno šute. Ti si, Pavle, čuo o čemu svi šute! :)

[@cinilaknedalm]

Well done on this

[@PaulBradbury]

Tx

[@1borism]

Spot on,.. cheers from Croatian immigrant in Australia

[@PaulBradbury]

Time to return

[@1borism]

@@PaulBradbury I do every year but as a tourist,... Kids now born here starting school,.. no return from here on,... You enjoy it for us!

[@zarez123]

Love this. Couldn't said it better myself.

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha tx

[@rouletteplace]

Well done!

[@PaulBradbury]

Thank you -lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@zeljkakrznaric2440]

Sir, you rock!❤

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha, hardly, but thanks

[@kapetan6]

briliantly explained

[@PaulBradbury]

Tx!

[@nresnik]

Bravo !

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks!

[@meminime9006]

Hey Paul, i‘ve dicovered your channel right now. Because of your story on Steve from Vinkovci. You are doing an amazing job! Appreciate! Cheers and greetings from a Croat living outside Uhljebistan for many many years.

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks! Lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@Daniel-tl2ln]

There are uhljebs everywhere. Croatia is no exception. I live in Canada and people who work for government are equally inefficient and lazy as people in Croatia who work for government. Main difference is the bureaucracy which is simplified so the dumbest among us can understand it and amount of people working for government.

[@PaulBradbury]

I am sure the culture exists everywhere to a certain extent, but it is a lot more entrenched and prevalent in Croatia. At least in my opinion.

[@edde8624]

I am in Canada too Daniel and i agree. It takes so long to do even most basic tasks as the gov't employee will take months(and still screw it up because they give jobs to those who aren't qualified). This has been a thing for decades now and only getting worse.

[@davorkasekulic6333]

really like how you explained it Paul Bradbury​ ! You not only told the story, but you have made it your story too, caring and fully understanding the pain of Croatian people. it so much resonates with me, I admire you for this. THANK YOU!

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks - lots more coming if you want to subscribe

[@ValhallaGuitar]

Everything is correct except "... it comes from the Serbian word Hleb..." Noup, that is not correct, "hljeb" is also an old Croatian word, also an Old Slavic - Indo-European word. We have changed the dictionary a bit in the meantime.

[@PaulBradbury]

And what did hljeb mean?

[@ValhallaGuitar]

​@@PaulBradbury Bread, but more like a small round bread. But it is obsolete in Croatian vocabulary, except in this case. 😂 Serbs say generally for any bread Hleb. Uhljeb is roughly like a worm in bread. And one worm drags a relative and that's the problem. Others do not have access.

[@miralukas3234]

​@@PaulBradbury U hrvatskome standardnom jeziku danas riječ hljeb označava upravo oblik kruha ; hljeb kruha = okrugao oblik kruha, dok je štruca kruha = duguljast oblik kruha... znači prema željenom obliku kupujem - dva hljeba kruha ili dvije štruce kruha. Thank you for everything you do in & for Croatia .

[@miro6647]

​@@miralukas3234Nije baš sasvim tako. I štruca je oblik kruha. I tudica je upravo za hljeb.

[@miro6647]

​@@PaulBradburyPaul, hljeb means loaf. A loaf of bread. But in old Slavic it does mean bread. Serbian form of old Slavic Word hljeb is hleb.

[@melaniab3482]

I like your honesty in relating that for 13 years you were unaware of the nature of this country. Just setting up here doesn't immediately give one insight and many people quite naively believe they know how things work here having just visited for a few summers. You, living here, needed 13 years! That's really important information to relay as the problem is so pernicious, so long-standing, that it's old enough of news that it's assumed normal and it's not properly explained to visitors or people who just moved here... Thank you for so succinctly and honestly explaining this for those who need it said in English! I often watch the capable and talented struggle in whatever job they can get here and it kills me to see it. The wrong people have the key positions... Keeping the status quo kills innovation and advancement. This causes a great deal of suffering, enough of which I've seen first hand to make it difficult for me to be hopeful. I want to be... If I keep watching you, maybe that spark of hope will come back to me!

[@PaulBradbury]

I think it is healthy to have open conversations about these things

[@kristiandivander9754]

The political mentality is the problem. For many Croats, politics is business and nothing else. This has to change. This ‘clan’ mentality is a huge problem.

[@denistoth9629]

Go for it. You are so right!

[@PaulBradbury]

haha thanks

[@MalaMaja1986]

Paul you are awesome!

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha hardly, but kind of you to say so

[@andrejasironic4561]

Wow, I love your conclusion! Thank you for that. At a point I thought it was just going to a bit more depressing end.

[@PaulBradbury]

Nobody died from having a positive mindset

[@goranelez9956]

Complete agreement, there is nothing to add or substract.

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks

[@dalibork]

You're good. Spot on for "Full of Uhljebistan"! :)

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks. Lots more coming if you want to subscribe

[@j.miskovic7224]

Bravo 👏

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks!

[@j.miskovic7224]

@@PaulBradbury My parents are croatian, i'm was born in central Bosnia and lived there until 2003 when i met my future wife and i came in Italy. You perfectly got the point, that's the real problem with ex yugoslavia countries. I lived with the minority of croats in Bosnia during all the years of war and all that’s left is corrupted people on power. All members of my family are immigrated. Obviously the situation in Croatia is much better than in Bosnia but directions they heading is the same. However, thank you for your great content and will to really comprehend what’s all about in Balkans. 🙏

[@cetterus]

well done Paul.

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks - lots more coming if you want to subscribe

[@dragandokoza6146]

Bravo

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks - lots more coming if you want to subscribe

[@dragandokoza6146]

Done

[@uhljebatur]

I think my username says a lot about Croatian system. Paul, good job. Also, i am from Zadar which is in begining of video, also big city in Uhljebistan

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha

[@zlundraful]

So true! Hi from village Buševec! 🙋🏻‍♂️🛰👍

[@PaulBradbury]

A village I have yet to visit!

[@z000ey]

Many many thanks Paul for this particular YT, as I presume a large number of foreigners might see it and better understand what Croatia is, why it is so, and that the huge majority of us Croatians are not directly responsible (indirectly definitely we are, since we are apolitical enough to sustain the State of Uhljebistan). Your wording "Inbred in bread" is soooooo correct, I love it! About Jelsa in particular, I had exactly the same type of response back in 1999. I believe, as a student of architecture very interested in Jelsa (as it used to be my go place for holidays). I proposed to the then Mayor and also owner of a tourist agency (btw a friend of my late father, also I became later his son godfather, so actually could become his "uhljeb" in a way) a way of getting great information about Jelsa to the potential, incoming and also present tourists, before the age of mass Internet. This because I saw that information on Jelsa and its territory was given to the tourists then as photocopies of various restaurants, bars etc in large ring binders that were obligatory stationary in each apartment. The photocopies were really bad, both technically and graphically, also missing all public information (just the businesses were listed). None of that information was available anywhere other than inside an apartment in Jelsa, and noone prior to arriving could get it anyhow. As this was before Internet, but already in Windows and CD time, I presented him with the idea of making a virtual digital map of Jelsa and it's territory (thinking ahead to possibly later include the whole island of Hvar, then possibly move on to wider areas). The map would basically be a non-online CD version of what Google Maps started doing in 2005., with layers upon layers of graphical and symbolic information tied to textual information that would present a much larger number of locations in the territory, including of course all of the businesses (their working hours, telephone numbers, menus etc etc), but especially all the public places available. All the churches, parks, beaches, roads, bycicle and pedestrian paths, medical facilites, police, firemen, bus, ferry and boat stops and routes and timetables, shops, car and boat mechanics etc etc would have been represented. As it would be on CD, the CD's could be given to tourists arriving in appartements, and if they didn't have a laptop with CD with them a computer might be available for several rooms in a joint area. Some of the material from the CD could still be printed out for their binders if needed. But the added benefact would be that those CD's were extremely cheap and could be given out at tourist fairs, sent by mail to potential tourists on their booking, given away to tourists that arrived in Croatia on petrol stations or the border entry points, or on Split/Starigrad/Drvenik/Sućuraj ferry building etc etc. Even the CD's in the apartments would be freely given to the tourists to take home if they wanted so they could either browse through it to get more info for possibly returning next year, or give it to friends and family and possibly incite them to come. Of course when internet penetrated a few years later it could have been totally ported into it, removing the need for CD distribution. Well, the answer was: "Who would use a computer for that? That is totally unnecessary..."

[@PaulBradbury]

The more this is discussed publicly, the healthier in my opinion

[@billposter]

Got it in one Paul, but things are getting better if a little slowly than we would like.

[@PaulBradbury]

Step by step

[@Gordan1962]

same thing in Greece , i think in all Med

[@PaulBradbury]

I wonder if it is better or worse in Greece.

[@saonestranedinare644]

More uhljebs, less 'full of life, for sure.. It's good that a 'naturalised one of us' speaks out....as we sadly learned to be silent and just take the crap. Keep the good work Paul.....while we slave for our £s in the UK, and dream of home.

[@PaulBradbury]

haha, but why not return home and give it another try rather than slaving in the UK

[@saonestranedinare644]

@PaulBradbury work in progress.... 'Da su babi muda, bila bi did'....know that one? Human nature mate, I guess.

[@drillerCro]

good point man

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks

[@ivanagrbesa8592]

I came back after 9 yrs of living abroad (NYC, Tel Aviv, Sprinkle, Cluj) and what you said at the end is true, online systems (eGradjani, portal Zdravlje, START system) are making moving back a bit easier (still had to fight a bit with uhljebs at Trade court, healt insurance, police :))

[@PaulBradbury]

It will take time, but things are moving in the right direction.

[@anarusic5422]

Paul, Thank you for raising voice about "uhljebi".

[@PaulBradbury]

No prob - lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@realtalk675]

As a croatian myself i agree

[@PaulBradbury]

Took me a long time to understand it

[@ffk2385]

And would you disagree as a Croatian? It's not anything to debate, it's reality

[@MrBlacksford]

We have something similar in Poland. I've heard many things like "katoland", "kaczystan" and "kraj kwitnącej lipy". It all boils down to the same problem Croatia has - the way things are done.

[@PaulBradbury]

Am sure it is not exclusive to Croatia, but they do it exceptionally well here

[@agontprevarator5214]

Thank you! See, we're not just good at football and drinking coffee!

[@lukaroca6566]

Bravo Paul 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💪💪💪💪💪💪

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks - lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@borismilicevic4367]

You are on a right way, keeo digging and enjoy in hipokracy

[@PaulBradbury]

Thank you!

[@MilosBozino]

My friend, you have penetrated to the essence of the problem not only of one Croatian but also of the other republics of the former Yugoslavia, as a hereditary defect of the scattered communist system and legacy that survives to this day. The honor of the inherited bureaucracy has been rolling in these areas for the past 35 years.

[@nadarolls2306]

My dear Paul Yu hit the nail on the head It was always like that No matter which political party. When I was young in 1968,I worked in a firm as pripravnik

[@nadarolls2306]

I was promised everything Job,and the little flat if I would join the komunist party but as I was not politically inclined I refused it all and went to live in London. It was great experience and yu had to do it all by yourself.tuff but great school I

[@PaulBradbury]

Do you think it will change?

[@dstosic1]

Thank you Paul! You summarized it perfectly! That was the reason most of us emigrated. Sad but true. Such a Beautiful country but full of UHLJEBS.

[@PaulBradbury]

Things are changing slowly

[@jelena2463]

To a tee!

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha tx

[@escootIreland]

Next time I go home to Croatia id really like to shake your hand and buy you s pint. Fair play.

[@PaulBradbury]

haha thanks

[@Leo-wz4nh]

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

[@PaulBradbury]

Aint that the truth...

[@Leo-wz4nh]

@@PaulBradbury It's everywhere. But for some reason or reasons, it is so emphasised in Croatia.

[@Lily-cv1ds]

That's very very true and it should be changed 👍

[@PaulBradbury]

It would be nice if it did

[@buzzerbeaterbuzzerbeater9001]

Hello my english friend, the reason why there are so many uhljebs in Croatia is, there was no "lustracija" after the war, so practically Croats won on the battlefield but didn t fight the enemies in the system/administration etc.

[@PaulBradbury]

And Slovenia? Which was the only other country which did not have lustration I think (Serbia had a law not implemented). So you think the uhljeb thing is a worse problem here than elsewhere in the former eastern bloc?

[@buzzerbeaterbuzzerbeater9001]

@@PaulBradbury No i don t think it s worse in Croatia than in other eastern europe countrys. I think it s a communistic and cultural slavic thing, but on the other hand, here in Germany where i live since birth(70 s), today here it become similiar in some way. Only difference is here are all main partys always together against the nationalistic Afd, but that goes too far from the former theme. About Slovenia i know too less to judge really.. See you soon in Zadar maybe and thank you for work and channel !

[@brokula1312]

Paul, how would you rate our humour vs. English? I like English people mostly because of it and was wondering which on is "better" I guess....or more offensive? Anyway, I'm glad we have you here. God bless.

[@PaulBradbury]

It took me a while, but I really, really like the Croatian humour. Very cutting. I talk about in the video 8 Reasons Croatia is the Best Place to Live kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZ6qZWeObaqsnqM

[@slow7954]

​@@PaulBradbury5:16

[@apscoradiales]

Uhljeb is a way of life right across all former Yugoslav Republics, including Croatia. Back in the early fifties, dad was told that if he joined the Communist party, his life, and the life of his family would improve immensely. So, uhljeb by political rather than family or friend means. He left Croatia!

[@PaulBradbury]

Sadly a very common story

[@pipito588]

Come and visit Imotski two wonderful lakes in the world

[@PaulBradbury]

Have been many times, but the thing that amazes me in Imotski is that incredible mosaic on 3 walls in the Imota winery.

[@Zagoreni02A]

I am glad you talk about this. Honest people cant get decent job without good connections. Young people but also those in their mid years leaving because they cannot have stable employment, better pays and overal situation in country. Corruption is quite spread around. Frankly i do not care for political parties or politics, i am not member of any as such i do not have any connection nor do i have job that i should have. More and more i think leaving somewhere else simply because with current job and pay i barely can live. I cannot afford myself a new car even an used newer car, i cannot buy myself apartment, i am forced to live with my parents and i am in thirties because i simply do not have enough money nor i want a credit for next 30 or so year. I love my country but i hate what it become.

[@PaulBradbury]

I think it is an important thing to talk about openly

[@angelikkax6353]

Just a tip. Hljeb isn't a Serbian word. Hljeb and different versions of it can be traced in East Slavic languages. Good video. Cheers!

[@venita625]

Well noticed , Paul . Being Croatian myself wasn't even aware if it ..

[@PaulBradbury]

You weren't aware of Uhljebistan?

[@venita625]

@@PaulBradbury Hi , Paul . Of uljeba always .. that's one of the reasons why i moved away .... Meant it as , wasn't aware about the " moving " vegetables .. But it's so true when described like this .. hahaha

[@vordag]

Paul you shouldn't have get involved with local politicians that was mistake but on the other hand now you have become truly one of us cheers

[@PaulBradbury]

Life is a journey and process

[@rEdHoUsE_1969]

Unfortunately uhljeb or nepotism isn't just a Croatia thing, but unfortunately it seems to have been refined to an artform in Croatia. (Dealing with inherited property has been a nightmare to say the least for me recently). You rightfully point out Paul that there is an element in the bureaucracy that are simply incompetent to the point of being comical ... similar to Basil Fawlty ... but this impacts in profound ways on the croatian people (the mass immigration of it's most talented, as you point out is one) and those wanting to invest & trade with/in Croatia. There was some hope that with the acceptance into the EU that uhljeb may be stamped out but from my experience and those of family and friends overthere, it's the 'same old same old' or 'business as usual' 🤔

[@PaulBradbury]

I see small changes. But big change is coming.

[@rEdHoUsE_1969]

@@PaulBradbury Fingers crossed Paul ... 🤞

[@DataLog]

@@PaulBradbury We are amazing at avoiding the technology that could kill it all. All of our government databases should've been connected years ago. We already have all the technology and data tracking necessary to eradicate corruption, but the systems were never connected. So it requires a full investigation for the police to even be able to try to dig around 50 different databases in order to collect the evidence of corruption. I have dual opinion about it. From one side, I would love some more meritocracy in Croatia, from the other side, ultra pure corruption free society where you can't handle individual cases differently is also a form of dystopia. I don't want Croatia to be ultra regulated like Germany or the US. I also visited the UK (my brother studied in Nottingham), but we both got a combination of police state and socialist vibes, without extra security. Everything looked the same and bureaucracy was also terrible. There were also random stabbings in the street... I also want to add that small corruption here is also cheap and relatively accessible to most people. Everyone has a kum or stric or bratić somwehere, and if you don't, you have a friend who does. Very often these arrangements are free when you know somebody, or with an implication that you are there if someone needs something from you in the future. When you need some extra fuel, it's usually a couple of hundred kunas or now a couple of dozen euros. Party here is basically what Italian mafia was all about. You join a club that offers you protection. Those who are in power are protected, and they do what they can to help themselves, their family and friends. They are often not smart enough for some extremely evil actions, so they mostly do petty crimes.

[@josipsuvar903]

..istina ziva.. XemX

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha

[@Grginac]

Spot on! We need to talk about it publicy. I also think that people are leaving Croatia primarily because of Uhljebistan state of mind. You can't do or achieve anything big or serious properly because od corruption, lack of interest and lack of capability of people in important places. Most of the time you can't even get a job.

[@PaulBradbury]

Yes agree, although I think things are changing slowly with the emergence of the entrepreneurial class. It is possible to more or less bypass the system, work hard and live well these days.

[@petvuk]

omg i love you

[@IvoJaric]

Paul strikes again! U sridu!

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha - lots more coming if you want to subscribe

[@01010100001010101001]

Paul thank you to bring this up. After I got my first job in former Yugoslavia, I was wondering why HR lady (kadrovska) tried to find my family background and she got disappointed because I did not have anyone who would push me into that position. Later I learned that a candidate for that job, exposed member of social youth, gave up opportunity and pick up another job. This was engineering job without any real need for political righteousness. Months before, I was denied other job, because I refused to provide recommendation of university social youth organization. The guy who asked me for that later become HDZ member. This happened just before breakup of Yugoslavia, but it seems it did not change much today.

[@PaulBradbury]

Sadly not

[@vedrangrudenic3228]

I have the inside story about this. As the IT engeener that was trying to find his place under the sun I was asked what political party I am a member on the bleeding job interview. I have seen your birth country not on the same level as you have seen mine but I do have something to say. While I knew back in the day that the UK was the part of the EU and that I will not have a chance there I went regardless as my knowledge of the language is on the good level. And I've seen ohhh so much nepotism in the midlands and smaller towns so within 5 months there I booked a ticket to Ireland from the amazing accent city of Birmingham straight to Dublin. Sorry about my Dublinism that I have now after years living there just can't help myself BTW I still think Birmingham is the best town in Europe - It gave us the Black Sabbath. Also index I've seen beeing called imbex sometimes (from imbecile) so I wouldn't worry about them calling me whatever they want to call me Stay strong and know you are the most prominent promoter of the country you live at

[@ivrtaric]

"And I think Croatia is due for a better future" - Riječi ti se pozlatile :)

[@PaulBradbury]

But I really do

[@ivrtaric]

@@PaulBradbury Don't take it the wrong way - it wasn't meant to be sarcastic, but more in a "may your words really come true" way.

[@paranormalcro]

What's even more fascinating in my opinion Paul, is that those who are uhljebi will go out of their way to deny they are one, that most of the people have got their job through nepotism and to convince people around them that the community they live in is way better off than it actually is (despite your very eyes and ears telling you otherwise). It's this delusion they perpetuate to both mask the ugly nature of way things work and as a way to feel better about themselves. Cheers from a Slavonian in Bavaria.

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha very true

[@j.p.9295]

Now you know why I left Croatia ! Darn Uhljebistan .

[@PaulBradbury]

It is changing... slowly

[@Hosigie]

That's basically it. The reason why so many of us want to leave the country. Everywhere I look there's injustice and nepotism. Because of that I haven't watched the news in 15 years. For the sake of my mental health, I don't even want to know what's going on here. I rely on my friends and colleagues to let me know about the really important stuff, and the rest I don't want to know. And I'm counting down days to moving away.

[@minimalistserendipity4744]

Standing ovation 👏👏👏 for as long as it exits together with greed which I find also appalling Croatia will perform below its capacity and capability unfortunatey.

[@PaulBradbury]

I hear you

[@4avatars]

To je Ruski izvozni proizvod. Iz nekog razloga kod nas dobro ukorjenio

[@PaulBradbury]

Russian or socialist/communist?

[@jd2379]

@@PaulBradbury can you seperate the two?

[@RonaldST]

Bojim se da ništa od bolje budućnosti kad i dalje imamo samo podobne 😢 a ne sposobne…

[@PaulBradbury]

True story. Time to make the change.

[@phoenixfire111]

It's the only thing keeping me out of Croatia. I miss the culture and people so much. Now I live in Germany and have made a lot of progress in my career. It would not have been possible to achieve the same in Croatia because the corruption is so strong there.

[@PaulBradbury]

Yes I can understand that - things are getting better slowly though

[@nebojsamaksimovic82]

I'd like to meet you 🙂

[@PaulBradbury]

Be careful what you wish for. It is not that exciting an experience.

[@nebojsamaksimovic82]

@@PaulBradbury Guess we'll have to find out 😁

[@yambo000]

Yes, but have you tried the uhljeb way? It's very cozy existence, I assure you.

[@PaulBradbury]

Am sure it is cosy, but a pretty pointless existence of non-achievement.

[@yambo000]

@@PaulBradbury Who says there needs to be a point to it?

[@zd-motion6688]

Paul, dont forget, everyone in some form of authority position wants their palm to be greased.

[@PaulBradbury]

I hear this a lot, and yet I have never paid a bribe in 20 years.

[@stevem2323]

​@@PaulBradbury I'm Croatian and i never did too, not even in a hospital.

[@waitwhat1884]

I hope you are right about the better future, u really understand how it works, thank you so much for speaking about it... but, unfortunatelly, we a(croats) all know about it and its almost the part of our culture... its the leftover boomers from socialism mentality... this country can only move forward if we get our mentality straight, but its hard when there are 40-50 yearold uhljebs who dont know how to do any other job than being an uhljeb at their current workplaces..

[@PaulBradbury]

Mentality and mindset are key - this is the biggest battle in my opinion

[@stipe3124]

U Hrvatskoj puno Uhljeba ali nijedan Ukruh! velik je to problem, ljudi ne rade poslove po kompetenciji nego po vezama i politici

[@PaulBradbury]

True story

[@IvoRilovic]

You didn't live here during socialism, when connections/acquaintances were a prerequisite for any move. A song from that time Parni Valjak, Vrijeme je na našoj strani: ... My connections are quite thin I know a pretty one who works at the bank counter Sometimes I get a drink in a cafe over the line and that's all ... 45 years of such a system spilled over into a mentality that did not exist before socialism. The solution is not a criticism of uhljeb, the solution is a "small state", in which there is no room for uhljeb.

[@PaulBradbury]

But why is it (or appears to be) worse in Croatia compared to, say Estonia?

[@IvoRilovic]

@@PaulBradbury Protestant/north vs catholic/south mentality. Plus influence of asian mentality from 15-19 century

[@IvoRilovic]

@@PaulBradbury Until 1918, Croatia was part of the Western world, as was Slovenia and today's Vojvodina. On the other hand, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro were part of another world for half a millennium, as was Bosnia and Herzegovina (until 1878). Joining a common state led to the mixing and influence of a different mentality. Slovenia remained the least affected, due to linguistic and spatial distance. Added to that was socialism from 1945, in which corruption was absolute. Socialism mostly created a corrupt mentality, and it is partly a consequence of the Middle Eastern concept of the rule of law. It would be pretentious to claim that everything was perfect in Croatia until 1918. It is not, of course, just as it is not perfect today in Italy, Spain and countries of a similar circle of civilization. Today, many people say that during socialism there was no stealing as it is today, which is true and not true. At that time, private property was limited, so theft had to be limited in quantity, but then theft was absolutely everywhere, so theft was present everywhere. Thus, socialism created a corrupt mentality that flourished with unlimited freedom of ownership. However, looking at the processes of the last 40 years, I can say that corruption today is far less than it was in the late 80s, the trend is positive.

[@IvoRilovic]

I think Lithuania is a better reference than Estonia

[@trubatotalka8272]

If you are an "uhljeb", then you are the most useful uhljeb in Croatia for sure. But then again, any amount of usefulness makes the uhljeb argument null and void ;)

[@PaulBradbury]

Have you ever met a useful uhljeb?

[@KrunoslavRajakovic]

Great now we need to import balls too! Respect!

[@PaulBradbury]

That is a big job

[@sretnazvijezda400]

😂😂😂😂

[@zpduzghr1301]

Communism is not just an ideology , it is in the genes of the uhljebs. The media is also sponsoring this by making it very important to know to which party someone on the tv,radio or in the news ,belongs. The names are not important ,it is the party membership that is the most important to describe someone.

[@barfo281]

@ZP DUZGHR - It's the same way in the USA. Most Americans believe either: A) Democrat bad/Republican good or B) Republican good/Democrat bad. Partisans should never be trusted - and even George Washington and James Madison warned about the dangers of political factions.

[@josipag2185]

It goes way above the communism. The communist, and the modern european socialist, anticapitalist (and they call me the worst names I gladly accept like neoliberal, market fasist, etc) they have a Jesus complex so they want to save society and now they are inventing social conflicts like this cancel culture thing. Communist, they want one more thing to everybody be poor, and the same amount of poor. But this, nepotism, clientelism, robery... is way worse then just communism. They are robbers, murders if you like of the nation, because they are the reason of the demographics and that one won't be any better.

[@razielhex6498]

That, that on 3:30 is the sad truth about Croatia.

[@PaulBradbury]

Sadly yes

[@ginjordom6065]

At college I had a professor that taught let's call it electronic calcualtion,to say she was not qualified is not good enough. Often students themselves corrected her because she spoke nonsense,used prewritten material that she obviously would try to memorize word to word without any understanding and pass it unto us. She got a job thanks to the political party she was a member and she didn't even hide it. There was a news article about her about a decade ago where she was accused of buying a decree in electronics lol. It's all true and authorities didn't do sh it...the extent and depth of corruption in Croatia is insane. There's an old quote form a 19th century Croatian writer A.G. Matos,goes something like (I'll try to get the context and the rhyme right) "So many miracles were witnessed by us(Croats) yet never found enoguh rope for all the Judas." If there was business in exporting traitors and spineless,worthless worms that our politicians and their lackies are we'd be no1 in the world.

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks for sharing. Sad but true.

[@tiki915]

Inbread..Inbreadland nice new english words 👏👏🤭

[@PaulBradbury]

haha

[@markosedlar7860]

Bingo

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks. Subscribe for more bingo.

[@Photostoryhr]

Uhljebs: the way of life in Croatia.

[@PaulBradbury]

Do you think it will ever change?

[@Photostoryhr]

@@PaulBradbury I think it will by 2095

[@edweb2006]

You are correct in describing business and politics in Croatia this way (leftover from communist times), however sick Western woke-liberals have now archived pinacol of total UHLJEB phenomena as you speak. So stay there we need you.

[@RPlavo]

Oh excuse me, Trumpers are exempt?

[@PaulBradbury]

Well I do like living here.