Croatia: the 28th Member State of the European Union Who’s Who

July 2013

Neven Mimica EU Commissioner for Consumer Protection

Political party affiliation Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).

Policy areas  Advancement of the proposed Directive on the Comparability of

Fees Related to Payment Accounts.  Development of an alternative online dispute resolution (ODR) system.  Promotion of the Member States’ integration within the EU

Single Market and communication on the cohesive enforcement of consumer safety mechanisms.

Profile Croatian Deputy Prime Minister for Home, Foreign and European Affairs (2011-2013). He previously served as a Member of the Parliament (2004-2011), and as Minister for European Integration (2001-2003).

Marino Baldini Member of the European Parliament

EU Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Political party affiliation Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).

 Areas of interest  Modern cultural history, archaeology and Istrian heritage.  EU-funded conservation parks and heritage protection

projects.

Profile He served two terms as Mayor of Vižinada/Visinada (2005-2006, 2009-2013). Director and Curator of the Museum of Poreč/Parenzo, Baldini has authored numerous articles on archaeology, museology, monument conservation, art history and contemporary art.

Biljana Borzan Member of the European Parliament

EU Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Political party affiliation Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).

Areas of interest  Issues dealing with transportation within the European

Union, such as:   The implementation of safety provisions on fishing vessels and

railways.   The opening up of domestic markets for passengers railway

transport services.   Regulations regarding roadside inspection of commercial vehicles.

Profile Croatian Observer Member of the European Parliament (2012-2013). Member of the National Parliament (2007-2013).

Zdravka Bušić Member of the European Parliament

EU Committee on Constitutional Affairs

Political party affiliation European People’s Party (EPP); Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). 

Areas of interest

  Information technology organisation and librarianship.

 Migration, refugee repatriation, counseling and historical archiving.

Profile Member of the National Parliament (1995-2003). Bušić was Advisor to the Office of the Croatian President. From 2004 to 2011 she was advisor on the computerisation of the National and University Libraries in Zagreb.

Ivana Maletić Member of the European Parliament

EU Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Political party affiliation European People’s Party (EPP); Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).

   Areas of interest  Budget processes and the State Treasury’s role in allocating

pre-accession EU funds.  State accounting, methodology development for financial

reporting systems, the coordination of Croatia’s accounting system with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

Profile President of the Center for Public and Non-profit Sector Development (2012). Maletić served as State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance (2008-2011) and as Minister for Budget Execution Assistant (2005-2008).

Sandra Petrović Jakovina Member of the European Parliament

EU Committee on Constitutional Affairs

Political party affiliation Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).

Areas of interest  EU foreign affairs regarding enlargement and Trans-Atlantic

relations.  Administration of justice, human rights and security issues.

Profile Member of the National Parliament (2012-2013). Ms. Jakovina was Croatia’s youngest Member of Parliament and she is now Croatia’s youngest MEP.

  Tonino Picula

Member of the European Parliament EU Committee on Foreign Affairs

Political party affiliation Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).

Areas of interest  Active representative in the Organization for Security and

Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); he has led five election observation missions to the Commonwealth of Independent States.

 Advocate for social and cultural issues such as veterans’ rights, protection of traumatised children, intra-Balkans cultural exchanges and strategic friendship building.

Profile Croatian Observer in the European Parliament (2012-2013), Member of the National Parliament (2003-2013).

Andrej Plenković Member of the European Parliament

EU Committee on Budgets

Political party affiliation European People’s Party (EPP); Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). .

  Areas of interest  Croatia’s inclusion in the EU’s Multiannual Financial

Framework 2014-2020.  The efficient allocation of EU funds to Croatian strategic

infrastructure projects.  Reform of the European Globalization Adjustment Fund. Profile Croatian Observer Member in EU Parliament (2012-2013), Member of the National Parliament (2011-2013).

  Davor Ivo Stier

Member of the European Parliament EU Committee on Foreign Affairs

Political party affiliation European People’s Party (EPP); Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).

Areas of interest  Croatia’s integration into the US and European community

and its participation in security organizations such as NATO.

Profile Member of the National Parliament (2011-2013), Deputy Head of the Prime Minister’s Office Jadranka Kosor (2009-2010). He worked as a Croatian Representative to the NATO Mission in Brussels (2002).

Dubravka Šuica Member of the European Parliament

EU Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Political party affiliation European People’s Party (EPP); Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).

Areas of interest   Cultural and environmental preservation of historic sites,

such as Dubrovnik.   Social and architectural reconstruction initiatives for war

torn areas.

Profile Vice President of the European People’s Party Women’s Association, Member of the National Parliament (2000-2004, 2008-2011). Šuica was the first female Mayor of Dubrovnik (2001-2009). 

Ruža Tomašić Member of the European Parliament

EU Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Substitute on Special Committee on Organised Crime, Corruption and Money Laundering

Political party affiliation European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR); Croatian Party of Rights Dr. Ante Starcevic (HSPAS).

Areas of interest   Well-known for her anti-drug and anti-corruption efforts,

Tomašić was appreciated for her fight against organised crime in Croatia.

Profile Member of National Parliament (2003-2008, 2011-2013). President of right-wing, conservative party HSPAS (2009); President of the National Council for Monitoring the Implementation of Anti-Corruption.

  Oleg Valjalo

Member of the European Parliament EU Committee on Budgets

Political party affiliation Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).

Areas of interest  Implementation of the Strategy of Tourism Development in

the Republic of Croatia until 2020.

Profile Vice-President of the Dubrovnik County Council (2013-Present), Deputy Minister of Tourism (2011-2013).

Nikola Vuljanić Member of the European Parliament

EU Committee on Foreign Affairs

Political party affiliation European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL); Croatian Labourists - Labour Party.

 Areas of interest  The EU policies on education:

 The incorporation of new technologies – such as audiovisual media and Internet – into existing mechanisms for cultural promotion.

 Development of music, architecture and fashion in university education to strengthen connections between academia and the professional environment.

Profile Croatian Observer Member of the European Parliament, Observer Member of the Committee on Culture and Education (2012-2013), Member of National Parliament (2003-2007, 2011-2013).