Josip Manolic
Encyclopedia
Josip Manolić is a Croatia
n politician who was one of the most important public figures in 1990s Croatia. He was prime minister of the Republic of Croatia from August 24, 1990 to July 17, 1991.
near Đurđevac. In his youth during World War II
, he joined the Communist Party of Yugoslavia and the Partisans
. After the war, he became a high-ranking official of OZNA
, and later UDBA
. One of his duties was to supervise all political prisons in Croatia.
After the Croatian Spring
, Manolić became a dissident and befriended Franjo Tuđman. He was one of the founders of the Croatian Democratic Union
and later emerged as Tuđman's right hand man.
His status was confirmed on August 24, 1990 when he became prime minister, following the departure of Stjepan Mesić
, who had left that post in order to serve as the Croatian representative in the Yugoslav collective Presidency. His cabinet was mostly preoccupied with the process that would ultimately lead to Croatia's declaration of independence on June 25, 1991, as well as the rebellion of ethnic Serbs in Krajina
.
When Manolić left the office on July 17, 1991 Croatian forces — police and nascent military — were involved in full-scale war with Krajina rebels, who were backed by the Yugoslav federal army. He took another, even more important post of the head of Constitutional Order Protection Office (Ured za zaštitu ustavnog poretka), a body that would coordinate and supervise all Croatian security services. There he built Tuđman's security apparatus, relying mostly on the old cadre from UDBA and other sections of the Communist-era security apparatus. Despite the nature of his work, he remained very much in the public spotlight. In his interviews and statements he gradually gained a reputation of being a moderate. His enormous power, moderate views and Partisan past made him very unpopular among the rank and file of the HDZ party and brought him into conflict with Gojko Šušak
, the powerful minister of defence who led a hardline nationalist faction.
In 1993 Manolić was replaced from his post and elected as Speaker of the Chamber of Counties (to 1994). Many saw this as his demotion and fall from Tuđman's favor.
One year later Manolić and Mesić tried to organise a mass defection of HDZ members of Sabor and thus deprive Franjo Tuđman of parliamentary majority. They failed and later, together with other HDZ dissidents, created a new party called Croatian Independent Democrats
(HND).
Manolic's attempt to take power on national level failed, but his supporters in the Zagreb County
Assembly succeeded in replacing HDZ administration. This led Tuđman to introduce new legislation, merging Zagreb County and the City of Zagreb
and calling for new elections, which ultimately resulted in the Zagreb Crisis
.
Those elections coincided with the 1995 parliamentary elections, during which HND fared badly, failing to enter Sabor. This prompted Mesić to join the Croatian People's Party, while Manolić tried to mend ties with his former party, becoming a marginalised political figure in the process.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n politician who was one of the most important public figures in 1990s Croatia. He was prime minister of the Republic of Croatia from August 24, 1990 to July 17, 1991.
Background and political career
Manolić was born in KalinovacKalinovac
Kalinovac is a municipality in the Koprivnica-Križevci County in Croatia. According to the 2001 census, there are 1,725 inhabitants in the area, with Croats forming an absolute majority....
near Đurđevac. In his youth during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he joined the Communist Party of Yugoslavia and the Partisans
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
. After the war, he became a high-ranking official of OZNA
OZNA
The Department for the Protection of the People was a security agency of the FPR Yugoslavia.-Founding:...
, and later UDBA
UDBA
The Department of State Security was the secret police organization of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.Although it operated with more restraint than other secret...
. One of his duties was to supervise all political prisons in Croatia.
After the Croatian Spring
Croatian Spring
The Croatian Spring was a political movement from the early 1970s that called for greater rights for Croatia which was then part of Yugoslavia as well as democratic and economic reforms.-History:...
, Manolić became a dissident and befriended Franjo Tuđman. He was one of the founders of the Croatian Democratic Union
Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
and later emerged as Tuđman's right hand man.
His status was confirmed on August 24, 1990 when he became prime minister, following the departure of Stjepan Mesić
Stjepan Mesić
Stjepan "Stipe" Mesić is a Croatian politician and former President of Croatia. Before his ten-year presidential term between 2000 and 2010 he held the posts of Speaker of the Croatian Parliament , Prime Minister of Croatia , the last President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia , Secretary General...
, who had left that post in order to serve as the Croatian representative in the Yugoslav collective Presidency. His cabinet was mostly preoccupied with the process that would ultimately lead to Croatia's declaration of independence on June 25, 1991, as well as the rebellion of ethnic Serbs in Krajina
RSK
RSK may stand for:* Republic of Serbian Krajina* Robinson–Schensted–Knuth algorithm, between biwords and pairs of tableaux* Ribosomal s6 kinase, in molecular biology, a signal transducer* Sanyo Broadcasting, a Japanese radio and TV station...
.
When Manolić left the office on July 17, 1991 Croatian forces — police and nascent military — were involved in full-scale war with Krajina rebels, who were backed by the Yugoslav federal army. He took another, even more important post of the head of Constitutional Order Protection Office (Ured za zaštitu ustavnog poretka), a body that would coordinate and supervise all Croatian security services. There he built Tuđman's security apparatus, relying mostly on the old cadre from UDBA and other sections of the Communist-era security apparatus. Despite the nature of his work, he remained very much in the public spotlight. In his interviews and statements he gradually gained a reputation of being a moderate. His enormous power, moderate views and Partisan past made him very unpopular among the rank and file of the HDZ party and brought him into conflict with Gojko Šušak
Gojko Šušak
Gojko Šušak was the Croatian Minister of Defence from 1991 to 1998. A Bosnian Croat emigreé to Canada, he entered the political life of Croat diaspora in North America, subsequently becoming a close friend and associate to Franjo Tuđman, the leader of the Croatian Democratic Union, a nationalistic...
, the powerful minister of defence who led a hardline nationalist faction.
In 1993 Manolić was replaced from his post and elected as Speaker of the Chamber of Counties (to 1994). Many saw this as his demotion and fall from Tuđman's favor.
One year later Manolić and Mesić tried to organise a mass defection of HDZ members of Sabor and thus deprive Franjo Tuđman of parliamentary majority. They failed and later, together with other HDZ dissidents, created a new party called Croatian Independent Democrats
Croatian Independent Democrats
Croatian Independent Democrats was a political party in Croatia.-History:Its founders were members of moderate faction within Croatian Democratic Union...
(HND).
Manolic's attempt to take power on national level failed, but his supporters in the Zagreb County
Zagreb County
Zagreb County is a county in central Croatia. It surrounds – but does not contain – the nation's capital Zagreb, which is a separate territorial unit. For that reason, it is often nicknamed "Zagreb ring"...
Assembly succeeded in replacing HDZ administration. This led Tuđman to introduce new legislation, merging Zagreb County and the City of Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
and calling for new elections, which ultimately resulted in the Zagreb Crisis
Zagreb Crisis
The Zagreb crisis is the name used to describe a political crisis that followed the elections for the City of Zagreb local assembly held in October 1995...
.
Those elections coincided with the 1995 parliamentary elections, during which HND fared badly, failing to enter Sabor. This prompted Mesić to join the Croatian People's Party, while Manolić tried to mend ties with his former party, becoming a marginalised political figure in the process.