Milan Bandic
Encyclopedia
Milan Bandić is an influential Croatia
n politician currently (as of 2011) serving his fourth term as mayor of Croatia's capital, Zagreb
. Between 2000 and 2009, he was a prominent member of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
(SDP). In 2007, he unsuccessfully ran for party president. However, he remained one of the main rivals of current party president Zoran Milanović
. On 5 November 2009 he announced his intention to run for president, in violation of the party's bylaws (which led to his expulsion from the party). On 10 January 2010 he lost the Croatian presidential election to SDP official candidate Ivo Josipović
in a runoff.
Although described in 2002 as the SDPs most popular politician for the "famous 24 hours he devotes to the service of Zagrebchanins", he has also gained notoriety for a number of actions and statements he has made as mayor.
Bandić is viewed as a hands-on mayor because of his ambition and the number of projects related to Zagreb he has undertaken. He is widely credited for the renovation of Ljubljanska Avenue
(now Zagrebačka Avenue
), for his work on the Arena Zagreb and the Homeland Bridge
(which opened during his third term).
Tomić) in the small hamlet
of Bandića Brig, a part of Cerov Dolac in the municipality of Grude
, Herzegovina
(then SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia). He was the middle child in the family, with an older brother Drago and a younger sister Tonka. His family's main source of income was a tobacco plantation. Bandić was also altar servant in local church. Bandić attended High School "Antun Branko Šimić
" in Grude and he was excellent student. In 1974, he moved to Zagreb to study at the Department of Political Science at the University of Zagreb
. He did manual labour jobs, like unloading of sugar and coal and he was also a mason
, painting façade
s to pay off his student loan
s.
After succesful finish of faculty, Bandić was conscripted to the Yugoslav People's Army
, and after that he was employed in Ledo, producer of ice creams.
During his student days he met his wife Vesna. He was married to her until their divorce in 1996, although they still live together in their Stara Peščenica
apartment. They have a daughter, Ana-Marija. Bandić has stated that his divorce was the result of a seven-year separation. Bandić owns two golden retriever
s, Bil and Rudi, which he often walks during his work hours.
Bandić is an avid distance runner describing himself as "addicted to running". He is reported to run 10 kilometers every weekday morning, and in March 2008 completed the 61 km Zagreb
-Čazma
ultramarathon
.
in Pešćenica where he worked as professional political worker.
After colapse of SFR Yugoslavia and League of Communists of Croatia
Bandić did not wanted to leave the party because he worked for years in Pešćenica and thus it was matter of pride. He expressed his hopes that he and his colleagues will return to political stage as Croatian social democrats.
During the Croatian War of Independence
Bandić helped with logistics.
Bandić was one of the few Herzegovinian Croats
to remain with the party after the first democratic elections in 1990
in which the Communist Party, led by Ivica Račan
, reformed and re-branded itself as the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
(SDP). He demonstrated organizational ability and populist political instincts. These abilities allowed the SDP to gain in Zagreb blue-collar neighborhoods and attract votes which the Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ) and its then-president Franjo Tuđman had considered theirs by default. As such, he proved to be a valuable asset for the Social Democratic Party. In 1993 he becomed party secretary.
Conflict between HDZ and SDP manifested in the 1995 parliamentary
and City of Zagreb
elections, leading to the Zagreb Crisis
: an electoral alliance (in which the SDP was a major partner) won a majority in the Zagreb elections and chose Goran Granić
as the new mayor, but Franjo Tuđman used a legal loophole to stop Granić from taking office. Several subsequent elections were held, with the SDP winning each time and Tuđman promptly removing every candidate. For a time Zagreb was a city without a mayor, which led to public unrest and protests in Ban Jelačić Square
. With the final 1997 election of the HDZ candidate Marina Matulović-Dropulić
as the mayor of Zagreb, the crisis faded. Bandić played a role in the crisis by becoming a city councilman in 1995 and the leader of the Zagreb SDP in 1997.
During the first campaign his Herzegovina
n background became an issue, as the Croatian Peasant Party
(HSS) suggested that only a native citizen of Zagreb could become the city's mayor. HSS also launched a propaganda campaign against Herzegovinans in an effort to undermine Bandić's campaign. The party hoped that the majority of Zagreb voters would turn away from Bandić. Those expectations were not fulfilled and Bandić later used his Herzegovinan background as an advantage, broadening his support among the ordinary citizens of Zagreb.
Bandić eventualy crashes HDZ's power in Croatian capital in 2000.
of Zagreb in 2000 and re-elected in the city election in 2001. His rise in influence among SDP politicians and on the Zagreb political scene created a backlash by the Croatian People's Party (HNS), the other left-of-center party led by Vesna Pusić
, who did not trust his nationalist populism and his occasional run-ins with the courts. The HNS campaigned against the SDP in the 2000 elections. However, the HNS entered into a coalition with the SDP in 2001. It governed Zagreb with the SDP until 2005 when it withdrew, again because of Bandić.
In 2002 Bandić fled from the scene of a motor vehicle accident while under the influence of alcohol (an incident heavily covered by the media), and the SDP council compelled him to resign
. After his resignation there was uncertainty concerning his successor; while the Zagreb SDP had the right to nominate the mayor, it was so dominated by Bandić that it was questionable who could replace him. Eventually Vlasta Pavić
took over as mayor, while Bandić retained a place in the Zagreb chain of command as deputy mayor. He was eager to become a mayor again, and blocked Pavić's development plans (advancing his own) while working toward an early election. In response Ivica Račan
(head of the SDP) tried to restrain Bandić's activities. The rules then in force would not allow Bandić to have a second term as mayor during the current term of the assembly. Vlasta Pavić attempted to strike a deal ending the ongoing feud, but Bandić eventually succeeded in undermining her. Although no early elections were held, he was re-elected mayor in the May 15, 2005 elections.
, Zoran Milanović
and Tonino Picula
. Zoran Milanović
was elected on June 2, 2007 as the new SDP leader, while Bandić remained mayor of Zagreb. He did not give up the fight, however, organizing opposition within the party and campaigning to defeat Milanović in the next party election.
On June 26, 2008 the Main Committee of SDP received a letter entitled Za što se, uopće, danas zalaže SDP? ("What, overall, does the SDP stand for today?") by Dražen Lalić
(a Croatian sociologist) which attacked Bandić by pointing out his misdeeds and errors and questioning Bandić's loyalty to the SDP's principles. The letter was sparked partially by the assault
and battery
of anti-corruption Zagreb road-authorities director Igor Rađenović, which had not been properly investigated. Another reason was a concert held on Ban Jelačić Square
by Marko Perković Thompson, a singer known to attract an ustaša
audience. Bandić supported the concert instead of condemning it, inaccordance with SDP anti-nationalistic principles. Although the letter attacked the SDP as a whole, Bandić was considered a key participant in all events described. Bandić responded to the letter indirectly by encouraging the police to do their job, while failing to appropriately defend his position. Zoran Milanović responded instead, accusing Lalić of trying to buy himself a return to the Croatian political scene. Bandić thus received the SDP's support, ensuring his candidacy in the upcoming 2009 mayoral election.
, the mayor was directly elected for the first time. Bandić was forced into a second round not by HDZ candidate (Jasen Mesić
) but by outsider Josip Kregar
(dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb
), who ran on an independent platform. Bandić won the second round, with 62 percent of the vote to Kregar's 37 percent. In October 2009, Bandić visited the site of a World War II partisan massacre on the island of Daksa
with the Croatian Bishops' Conference
. On 29 October 2009 Bandić's proposed exceptional budget, with a proposal to hold a referendum on the building of a new football stadium, was rejected. Among those voting against the budget was his own party, the SDP.
and the loss of his positions as party president and leader of the Zagreb branch. He was replaced as leader of the Zagreb SDP by Davor Bernardić
.
In the December 27, 2009 first round of the election Bandić received 14.83 percent of the vote, placing him in second place after SDP candidate Ivo Josipović
(with 32.7 percent). On January 10, he lost the second round with 39.74 percent of the vote.
In Zagreb Bandić lost both rounds of the election, receiving support in only a handful of city neighbourhoods.
due to lack of time for registration of "Stijena".
One of Bandić's best-known projects is the renovation of Ljubljanska Avenue
, whose eastern stretch beginning at Svilkovići Street (later Savska Opatovina Rotary) was later renamed to Zagrebačka Avenue
. He is also credited with the Zagreb model apartment building , also locally known as Bandićevi stanovi ("Bandić's apartments"). Radimir Čačić
, another investor in the Zagreb apartment market, accused Bandić of trying to undermine the statewide POS housing projects. POS is cheap housing instituted by Radimir Čačić during the coalition of SDP, Bandić's party, and several other parties (such as Čačić's HNS, which ruled the Croatian government from 2000 to 2003).
Bandić has heavily criticized the state of Zagreb's transportation system
which he encountered at the beginning of his mayoral career. With the guidance of Zagreb traffic engineers Bandić has approved ambitious transportation projects in Zagreb, such as the Ljubljanska/Zagrebačka Avenue widening, Homeland Bridge
construction, renovation of the green wave
system in the city center with the addition of bicycle path
s and multi-level underground parking garages at Tuškanac
, Kvaternik Square and other locations. An important project begun during Bandić's term in office is the Zagreb metro
, which is planned to become the main suburban transportation mode to the city. Many projects have been completed during Bandić's term or are currently in progress and supported by him. Bandić has arranged the construction of the Arena Zagreb, a handball
arena located in Lanište, which was constructed to prepare the city for the 2009 World Men's Handball Championship
.
criticized Bandić for having spent 15 million kunas (about US$3.26 million) of city money to buy a lot on Heinzelova Avenue which was formerly owned by the meat packing plant
Zagrepčanka. The controversy was dubbed "the Zagrepčanka case" by the newspapers. The city government could not use the lot, because its ownership was divided among 43 individuals. One of them, Ivan Radošević, later accused Bandić of wiring an explosive device under his car in an effort to stop the controversy from going public. When (responding to a question from a city counselor) Mayor Pavić distanced herself from Bandić, Bandić cursed her mother. He also published a newspaper advertisement on behalf of the city government, entitled Istina je! ("It's true!"). The advertisement was supported by all SDP members of the city council except Vlasta Pavić
, the mayor at that time. Ivica Račan
later condemned the advertisement as a political mistake, telling the Zagreb SDP that they would face consequences for their action.
A court case ensued, with charges being brought against Bandić and others involved. Three years later, Bandić was acquitted and the City of Zagreb was awarded ownership of the Zagrepčanka lot in a court judgment. Bandić promised a new business district in the Zagrepčanka location.
Not all legal troubles have been solved, however, as the city still has to deal with unsolved cases and complaints entered against the lot. In 2008 the sale of the Zagrepčanka lot to Institut IGH
was announced, but the deal fell through in 2009; this has potential to incur a cost of €4.5 million to the Zagreb holding company
.
(Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime) about several deals he made as mayor of Zagreb, including the July 2007 exchange of a lot at the intersection of Maksimirska Street and Šušak Avenue
for a lot in Sesvetski Kraljevec. A court-appointed expert allowed the exchange at a price of 1,300 kuna per square meter (€185) for the Sesvete lot (located in the suburbs, outside the Zagreb bypass
) and 2,300 kuna (€321) for the Maksimirska lot (located in the Maksimir
district, several hundred meters from downtown). New experts considered the lot on Maksimirska Street to be more valuable than the lot in Sesvetski Kraljevec. Thus, a USKOK source testified that Bandić made a deal damaging to the city budget. The two companies with whom Bandić dealt were headed by inexperienced students, furthering the appearance of impropriety.
in Zagreb's Lower Town
area. The project was headed by developer Tomislav Horvatinčić, who was alleged to have used illegal means in an attempt to evict the buildings' residents. These residents included a headquarters and church operated by the Zagreb-Ljubljana metropolia
of the Serbian Orthodox Church
and the home of the late poet Vladimir Vidrić
. Bandić is known to be a strong supporter of Horvatinčić, publicly criticizing opponents of the project. In August 2008, Horvatinčić obtained a license to demolish the old buildings. Residents of the surrounding buildings and environmentalists argued that the license was improperly issued, but the demolition is (as of 2011) still underway. However, Horvatinčić is forbidden to demolish Vidrić's home or build any part of the project until he obtains a building-location license, which requires him to prove he can build a walkway between Gundulićeva Street and Cvjetni Square.
journalist, allegedly heard Bandić and published his statement. The following day Bandić threatened to sue Krešić and Novi list; he claimed he said "Marxists," not "Nazis". Bandić's statement was corroborated by several of his nearby colleagues; other journalists at the rear of the bus did not hear anything said by Bandić, due to noise inside the vehicle. Bandić said that if awarded damages
, he would donate the money to the Simon Wiesenthal Center
. The director of the center, Efraim Zuroff
, refused.
In January 2006, Bandić publicly threatened a journalist working for Večernji list
. The journalist asked Bandić about an offer from a Czech
company; Bandić replied aggressively, cursing and threatening the journalist. Afterwards, he claimed he had simply spoken to the journalist in a loud voice.
On 31 May 2007 Bandić fell asleep shortly before noon during a session of the Zagreb City Assembly; TV cameras captured the moment. This was apparently not the first time he suffered from sleep problems; he fell asleep June 16, 2006 at the Croatian National Theater, where he presented an award to Marija Mustać, secretary of the Croatian Association of the Blind
.
In May 2008 Bandić left his car illegally parked at the center of Pavao Šubić Avenue
, creating a road hazard and causing traffic problems; he held a public presentation of a camera system designed to issue tickets
to red-light runners, improperly-parked cars and the like. He then shopped in the Dolac open-air market while his driver waited in the car, obstructing traffic. When questioned about this incident, Bandić blamed it on his driver.
; the official explanation was that exhaustion and overwork had caused a blood vessel
in his endocranium
to spasm
. In interviews, Bandić referred to his condition as a stroke. He was hospitalized for a few weeks, and then went to Krapinske Toplice
to recover. Journalists regarded his political career as over, but he quickly recovered and returned to his duties on 2 September. Bandić attributes his health problems to often working up to 16 hours a day.
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 currently (as of 2011) serving his fourth term as mayor of Croatia's capital, 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...
. Between 2000 and 2009, he was a prominent member of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia...
(SDP). In 2007, he unsuccessfully ran for party president. However, he remained one of the main rivals of current party president Zoran Milanović
Zoran Milanovic
Zoran Milanović is a Croatian politician, leader of the centre-left Social Democratic Party of Croatia , the main opposition party.- Early life :...
. On 5 November 2009 he announced his intention to run for president, in violation of the party's bylaws (which led to his expulsion from the party). On 10 January 2010 he lost the Croatian presidential election to SDP official candidate Ivo Josipović
Ivo Josipović
Ivo Josipović is a Croatian politician who has been President of Croatia since 2010. Josipović entered politics as a member of the League of Communists of Croatia , and played a key role in the democratic transformation of this party as the author of the first statute of the SDP that replaced the...
in a runoff.
Although described in 2002 as the SDPs most popular politician for the "famous 24 hours he devotes to the service of Zagrebchanins", he has also gained notoriety for a number of actions and statements he has made as mayor.
Bandić is viewed as a hands-on mayor because of his ambition and the number of projects related to Zagreb he has undertaken. He is widely credited for the renovation of Ljubljanska Avenue
Ljubljanska Avenue
Ljubljanska Avenue is one of most travelled thoroughfares in Zagreb, Croatia. It is a four-lane divided avenue that runs from the Savska Opatovina rotary in the east to the Jankomir interchange with the Zagreb bypass in the west...
(now Zagrebačka Avenue
Zagrebacka Avenue
Zagrebačka Avenue is an important east-west avenue in western Zagreb, Croatia. It is a dual carriageway with three lanes in each direction that starts as a continuation of the Slavonska Avenue under the intersection with the Savska Road, ending at the Savska Opatovina roundabout.It was previously...
), for his work on the Arena Zagreb and the Homeland Bridge
Homeland Bridge
Homeland Bridge is a long bridge over Sava River located in southeastern Zagreb, Croatia. Its administrative location is the city district Peščenica - Žitnjak...
(which opened during his third term).
Private life
Milan Bandić was born to Jozo and Blagica Bandić (néeNEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Tomić) in the small hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Bandića Brig, a part of Cerov Dolac in the municipality of Grude
Grude
Grude is a town and municipality in western Bosnia and Herzegovina.- Geography :Grude is 49 kilometers from Mostar,19 kilometers from Imotski, and 100 km from Split....
, Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
(then SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia). He was the middle child in the family, with an older brother Drago and a younger sister Tonka. His family's main source of income was a tobacco plantation. Bandić was also altar servant in local church. Bandić attended High School "Antun Branko Šimić
Antun Branko Šimic
Antun Branko Šimić was a Herzegovinian Croat expressionist poet.-Life:He was born in Drinovci near Grude on November 18, 1898, in the family of Vida and Martin Šimić. He attended primary school in his native village, and then the first three forms of the Franciscan classical grammar school in...
" in Grude and he was excellent student. In 1974, he moved to Zagreb to study at the Department of Political Science at the University of Zagreb
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
. He did manual labour jobs, like unloading of sugar and coal and he was also a mason
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
, painting façade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
s to pay off his student loan
Student loan
A student loan is designed to help students pay for university tuition, books, and living expenses. It may differ from other types of loans in that the interest rate may be substantially lower and the repayment schedule may be deferred while the student is still in education...
s.
After succesful finish of faculty, Bandić was conscripted to the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
, and after that he was employed in Ledo, producer of ice creams.
During his student days he met his wife Vesna. He was married to her until their divorce in 1996, although they still live together in their Stara Peščenica
Stara Pešcenica
Stara Peščenica is a neighborhood located in the northwestern corner of the Peščenica – Žitnjak administrative city district of Zagreb, Croatia. It is bordered by Zvonimirova Street and the J. F...
apartment. They have a daughter, Ana-Marija. Bandić has stated that his divorce was the result of a seven-year separation. Bandić owns two golden retriever
Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever is a medium-sized breed of dog. They were historically developed as gundogs to retrieve shot waterfowl such as ducks and upland game birds during hunting and shooting parties. As such, they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and have an instinctive love...
s, Bil and Rudi, which he often walks during his work hours.
Bandić is an avid distance runner describing himself as "addicted to running". He is reported to run 10 kilometers every weekday morning, and in March 2008 completed the 61 km 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...
-Čazma
Cazma
Čazma is a town and municipality in Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Croatia. It is part of Moslavina.-Geography:Čazma is situated 60 kilometers east of Zagreb and only 30 kilometres from the center of the region - Bjelovar....
ultramarathon
Ultramarathon
An ultramarathon is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of .There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time...
.
Before becoming mayor
After serving the army and short work in Ledo company Bandić was employed in Municipal Committee of League of Communists of CroatiaLeague of Communists of Croatia
League of Communists of Croatia was the Croatian branch of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia . Until 1952, it was known as Communist Party of Croatia .- History :...
in Pešćenica where he worked as professional political worker.
After colapse of SFR Yugoslavia and League of Communists of Croatia
League of Communists of Croatia
League of Communists of Croatia was the Croatian branch of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia . Until 1952, it was known as Communist Party of Croatia .- History :...
Bandić did not wanted to leave the party because he worked for years in Pešćenica and thus it was matter of pride. He expressed his hopes that he and his colleagues will return to political stage as Croatian social democrats.
During the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
Bandić helped with logistics.
Bandić was one of the few Herzegovinian Croats
Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina form one of the three constitutive nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.There is no precise data regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina's population since the last war. Ethnic cleansing within Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s saw the vast majority of Croats move and take...
to remain with the party after the first democratic elections in 1990
Croatian parliamentary election, 1990
Parliamentary elections were held in Croatia on 22 April 1990, with a second round of voting on 6 May. The first free elections since multi-party politics were introduced, they resulted in a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 55 of the 80 seats...
in which the Communist Party, led by Ivica Račan
Ivica Racan
Ivica Račan was a Croatian career politician, leader of the League of Communists of Croatia and later Social Democratic Party from 1989 to 2007...
, reformed and re-branded itself as the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia...
(SDP). He demonstrated organizational ability and populist political instincts. These abilities allowed the SDP to gain in Zagreb blue-collar neighborhoods and attract votes which 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...
(HDZ) and its then-president Franjo Tuđman had considered theirs by default. As such, he proved to be a valuable asset for the Social Democratic Party. In 1993 he becomed party secretary.
Conflict between HDZ and SDP manifested in the 1995 parliamentary
Croatian parliamentary election, 1995
-Subsequent changes:The following changes happened after elections:*The Croatian Pure Party of Rights gained one member of parliament*The Croatian Christian Democratic Union gained one more member of parliament*The Serb People's Party lost one member of parliament...
and 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...
elections, leading to 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...
: an electoral alliance (in which the SDP was a major partner) won a majority in the Zagreb elections and chose Goran Granić
Goran Granic
Goran Granić is a Croatian centre-left politician who was the deputy prime minister from 2000 to 2002.From 1995-1996, Granić was selected as mayor of Zagreb by his party that won the local elections...
as the new mayor, but Franjo Tuđman used a legal loophole to stop Granić from taking office. Several subsequent elections were held, with the SDP winning each time and Tuđman promptly removing every candidate. For a time Zagreb was a city without a mayor, which led to public unrest and protests in Ban Jelačić Square
Ban Jelacic Square
Ban Jelačić Square is the central square of the city of Zagreb, Croatia, named after ban Josip Jelačić. The official name is Trg bana Jelačića...
. With the final 1997 election of the HDZ candidate Marina Matulović-Dropulić
Marina Matulovic-Dropulic
Marina Matulović-Dropulić is a Croatian politician, member of the Croatian Democratic Union.Matulović-Dropulić served as the mayor of Zagreb in two mandates - first an appointment for a couple of months in 1996 during the Zagreb Crisis, and again after the 1997 elections, until 2000.In the 2000...
as the mayor of Zagreb, the crisis faded. Bandić played a role in the crisis by becoming a city councilman in 1995 and the leader of the Zagreb SDP in 1997.
During the first campaign his Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
n background became an issue, as the Croatian Peasant Party
Croatian Peasant Party
The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of...
(HSS) suggested that only a native citizen of Zagreb could become the city's mayor. HSS also launched a propaganda campaign against Herzegovinans in an effort to undermine Bandić's campaign. The party hoped that the majority of Zagreb voters would turn away from Bandić. Those expectations were not fulfilled and Bandić later used his Herzegovinan background as an advantage, broadening his support among the ordinary citizens of Zagreb.
Bandić eventualy crashes HDZ's power in Croatian capital in 2000.
First and second terms (2000–2004)
Bandić was elected mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Zagreb in 2000 and re-elected in the city election in 2001. His rise in influence among SDP politicians and on the Zagreb political scene created a backlash by the Croatian People's Party (HNS), the other left-of-center party led by Vesna Pusić
Vesna Pusic
Vesna Pusić is a member of Croatian Parliament and one of the main speakers of the opposition Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats in the Parliament...
, who did not trust his nationalist populism and his occasional run-ins with the courts. The HNS campaigned against the SDP in the 2000 elections. However, the HNS entered into a coalition with the SDP in 2001. It governed Zagreb with the SDP until 2005 when it withdrew, again because of Bandić.
In 2002 Bandić fled from the scene of a motor vehicle accident while under the influence of alcohol (an incident heavily covered by the media), and the SDP council compelled him to resign
Resignation
A resignation is the formal act of giving up or quitting one's office or position. It can also refer to the act of admitting defeat in a game like chess, indicated by the resigning player declaring "I resign", turning his king on its side, extending his hand, or stopping the chess clock...
. After his resignation there was uncertainty concerning his successor; while the Zagreb SDP had the right to nominate the mayor, it was so dominated by Bandić that it was questionable who could replace him. Eventually Vlasta Pavić
Vlasta Pavic
Vlasta Pavić is a former mayor of Zagreb and a member of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia .-Her term as Mayor:Pavić was elected mayor of Zagreb on March 1, 2002 after Milan Bandić was forced to resign due to a public scandal. She was elected with the support of city assembly members of the...
took over as mayor, while Bandić retained a place in the Zagreb chain of command as deputy mayor. He was eager to become a mayor again, and blocked Pavić's development plans (advancing his own) while working toward an early election. In response Ivica Račan
Ivica Racan
Ivica Račan was a Croatian career politician, leader of the League of Communists of Croatia and later Social Democratic Party from 1989 to 2007...
(head of the SDP) tried to restrain Bandić's activities. The rules then in force would not allow Bandić to have a second term as mayor during the current term of the assembly. Vlasta Pavić attempted to strike a deal ending the ongoing feud, but Bandić eventually succeeded in undermining her. Although no early elections were held, he was re-elected mayor in the May 15, 2005 elections.
Third term (2005–2008)
Following the illness and death of Račan Bandić announced his candidacy for SDP leadership, planning to resign as mayor afterwards. He competed against Željka AntunovićŽeljka Antunovic
Željka Antunović is a Croatian centre-left politician and the deputy president of the Social Democratic Party , the largest opposition party in Croatia.Antunović was born in Virovitica, Croatia, then SFR Yugoslavia...
, Zoran Milanović
Zoran Milanovic
Zoran Milanović is a Croatian politician, leader of the centre-left Social Democratic Party of Croatia , the main opposition party.- Early life :...
and Tonino Picula
Tonino Picula
Tonino Picula is a Croatian politician of the left-oriented Social Democratic Party of Croatia . He served as a Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2000 to 2003.-Early life:...
. Zoran Milanović
Zoran Milanovic
Zoran Milanović is a Croatian politician, leader of the centre-left Social Democratic Party of Croatia , the main opposition party.- Early life :...
was elected on June 2, 2007 as the new SDP leader, while Bandić remained mayor of Zagreb. He did not give up the fight, however, organizing opposition within the party and campaigning to defeat Milanović in the next party election.
On June 26, 2008 the Main Committee of SDP received a letter entitled Za što se, uopće, danas zalaže SDP? ("What, overall, does the SDP stand for today?") by Dražen Lalić
Dražen Lalic
Dražen Lalić, DSc is a professor at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Zagreb and one of the better known sociologists in the country....
(a Croatian sociologist) which attacked Bandić by pointing out his misdeeds and errors and questioning Bandić's loyalty to the SDP's principles. The letter was sparked partially by the assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
and battery
Battery (crime)
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the fear of such contact.In the United States, criminal battery, or simply battery, is the use of force against another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact...
of anti-corruption Zagreb road-authorities director Igor Rađenović, which had not been properly investigated. Another reason was a concert held on Ban Jelačić Square
Ban Jelacic Square
Ban Jelačić Square is the central square of the city of Zagreb, Croatia, named after ban Josip Jelačić. The official name is Trg bana Jelačića...
by Marko Perković Thompson, a singer known to attract an ustaša
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
audience. Bandić supported the concert instead of condemning it, inaccordance with SDP anti-nationalistic principles. Although the letter attacked the SDP as a whole, Bandić was considered a key participant in all events described. Bandić responded to the letter indirectly by encouraging the police to do their job, while failing to appropriately defend his position. Zoran Milanović responded instead, accusing Lalić of trying to buy himself a return to the Croatian political scene. Bandić thus received the SDP's support, ensuring his candidacy in the upcoming 2009 mayoral election.
Fourth term (2009–present)
Until 2009, the mayor of Zagreb was elected by the city council. In elections held in the spring of 2009Zagreb local elections, 2009
On May 17, 2009, local elections were held in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.The incumbent mayor was Milan Bandić , a representative of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia , also the leading party in the previous city council....
, the mayor was directly elected for the first time. Bandić was forced into a second round not by HDZ candidate (Jasen Mesić
Jasen Mesić
Jasen Mesić is the current Croatian Minister of Culture and a prominent member of the Croatian Democratic Union in Zagreb.Mesić was born in Zagreb...
) but by outsider Josip Kregar
Josip Kregar
Josip Kregar is a Croatian lawyer and politician. Kregar is a tenured professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb and an independent representative in the Zagreb City Council , currently the deputy president of the Council...
(dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
), who ran on an independent platform. Bandić won the second round, with 62 percent of the vote to Kregar's 37 percent. In October 2009, Bandić visited the site of a World War II partisan massacre on the island of Daksa
Daksa (Dubrovnik)
Daksa is a small uninhabited island in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea. It is situated near Dubrovnik in front of Rijeka dubrovačka. The area of the island is about 0.07 km2, the highest point is 24 m above sea level....
with the Croatian Bishops' Conference
Croatian Bishops' Conference
The Croatian Bishops' Conference is an episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in Croatia. It is currently composed of fourteen bishops from all Croatian dioceses plus the Croatian military ordinary....
. On 29 October 2009 Bandić's proposed exceptional budget, with a proposal to hold a referendum on the building of a new football stadium, was rejected. Among those voting against the budget was his own party, the SDP.
Presidential campaign
On November 5, 2009 Bandić announced his presidential candidacy in the 2009–2010 presidential election after media speculation. Bandić's move resulted in his automatic expulsion from the Social Democratic Party of CroatiaSocial Democratic Party of Croatia
Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia...
and the loss of his positions as party president and leader of the Zagreb branch. He was replaced as leader of the Zagreb SDP by Davor Bernardić
Davor Bernardić
Davor Bernardić is a Croatian politician and currently leader of the Zagreb SDP.Davor Bernardić was born in Zagreb on 5 January 1980. He has a degree in physics from the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb....
.
In the December 27, 2009 first round of the election Bandić received 14.83 percent of the vote, placing him in second place after SDP candidate Ivo Josipović
Ivo Josipović
Ivo Josipović is a Croatian politician who has been President of Croatia since 2010. Josipović entered politics as a member of the League of Communists of Croatia , and played a key role in the democratic transformation of this party as the author of the first statute of the SDP that replaced the...
(with 32.7 percent). On January 10, he lost the second round with 39.74 percent of the vote.
In Zagreb Bandić lost both rounds of the election, receiving support in only a handful of city neighbourhoods.
Parliamentary election of 2011
On 8 October 2011 Bandić announced that he will compete in Croatian parliamentary election of 2011 with independent list named "Stijena" (Rock). However, on 27 October he made a coalition with Croatian Peasant PartyCroatian Peasant Party
The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of...
due to lack of time for registration of "Stijena".
Mayoral achievements
Ljubljanska Avenue
Ljubljanska Avenue is one of most travelled thoroughfares in Zagreb, Croatia. It is a four-lane divided avenue that runs from the Savska Opatovina rotary in the east to the Jankomir interchange with the Zagreb bypass in the west...
, whose eastern stretch beginning at Svilkovići Street (later Savska Opatovina Rotary) was later renamed to Zagrebačka Avenue
Zagrebacka Avenue
Zagrebačka Avenue is an important east-west avenue in western Zagreb, Croatia. It is a dual carriageway with three lanes in each direction that starts as a continuation of the Slavonska Avenue under the intersection with the Savska Road, ending at the Savska Opatovina roundabout.It was previously...
. He is also credited with the Zagreb model apartment building , also locally known as Bandićevi stanovi ("Bandić's apartments"). Radimir Čačić
Radimir Cacic
Radimir Čačić is a Croatian politician and businessman, and the president of the Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats ....
, another investor in the Zagreb apartment market, accused Bandić of trying to undermine the statewide POS housing projects. POS is cheap housing instituted by Radimir Čačić during the coalition of SDP, Bandić's party, and several other parties (such as Čačić's HNS, which ruled the Croatian government from 2000 to 2003).
Bandić has heavily criticized the state of Zagreb's transportation system
Transport in Zagreb
Transport in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, relies on a combination of city-managed mass transit and individual transportation. Mass transit is composed of 19 inner-city tram lines and 120 bus routes, both managed entirely by Zagrebački električni tramvaj. Croatian Railways manages the parallel...
which he encountered at the beginning of his mayoral career. With the guidance of Zagreb traffic engineers Bandić has approved ambitious transportation projects in Zagreb, such as the Ljubljanska/Zagrebačka Avenue widening, Homeland Bridge
Homeland Bridge
Homeland Bridge is a long bridge over Sava River located in southeastern Zagreb, Croatia. Its administrative location is the city district Peščenica - Žitnjak...
construction, renovation of the green wave
Green wave
A green wave is an intentionally induced phenomenon in which a series of traffic lights are coordinated to allow continuous traffic flow over several intersections in one main direction....
system in the city center with the addition of bicycle path
Bicycle Path
Bicycle Path is a historic road in Central Suffolk County on Long Island, New York, built in the late 19th Century in order to capitalize on the bicycle craze of that period...
s and multi-level underground parking garages at Tuškanac
Tuškanac
Tuškanac is a neighborhood located in Gornji Grad - Medveščak city district of Zagreb, Croatia. It has a population of 2,849. It is best known for its parks and the Tuškanac cinema....
, Kvaternik Square and other locations. An important project begun during Bandić's term in office is the Zagreb metro
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
, which is planned to become the main suburban transportation mode to the city. Many projects have been completed during Bandić's term or are currently in progress and supported by him. Bandić has arranged the construction of the Arena Zagreb, a handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
arena located in Lanište, which was constructed to prepare the city for the 2009 World Men's Handball Championship
2009 World Men's Handball Championship
The 2009 World Men's Handball Championship took place in Croatia from 16 January–1 February, in the cities of Split, Zadar, Osijek, Varaždin, Poreč, Zagreb and Pula. Croatia was selected from a group of four potential hosts which included the Czech Republic, Greece and Romania.The opening game and...
.
Controversies
While an important public official in Zagreb, Bandić is also a controversial figure who has had several problems with law enforcement and the media. These run-ins once caused him to resign as mayor, and continue to damage his political reputation.Drunk driving and resignation
In January 2002 Milan Bandić was stopped by Krešimir Mišić, a police officer, and accused of drunk driving. Bandić's attempt to bribe the officer was unsuccessful, and he then threatened the officer through his (alleged) connections with the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Croatia. His threats failed, and Mišić turned him in. When the media later found out about the incident and criticized Bandić, Mišić was fired for leaking information to the press. Under political pressure, Bandić resigned. A police investigation revealed that Mišić had 92 open cases when he was fired, so he was subjected to a disciplinary process for neglecting work. Bandić later helped him return to the force, becoming godfather to Mišić's daughter.Zagrepčanka case
In April 2004 then-mayor Vlasta PavićVlasta Pavic
Vlasta Pavić is a former mayor of Zagreb and a member of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia .-Her term as Mayor:Pavić was elected mayor of Zagreb on March 1, 2002 after Milan Bandić was forced to resign due to a public scandal. She was elected with the support of city assembly members of the...
criticized Bandić for having spent 15 million kunas (about US$3.26 million) of city money to buy a lot on Heinzelova Avenue which was formerly owned by the meat packing plant
Meat packing industry
The meat packing industry handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock...
Zagrepčanka. The controversy was dubbed "the Zagrepčanka case" by the newspapers. The city government could not use the lot, because its ownership was divided among 43 individuals. One of them, Ivan Radošević, later accused Bandić of wiring an explosive device under his car in an effort to stop the controversy from going public. When (responding to a question from a city counselor) Mayor Pavić distanced herself from Bandić, Bandić cursed her mother. He also published a newspaper advertisement on behalf of the city government, entitled Istina je! ("It's true!"). The advertisement was supported by all SDP members of the city council except Vlasta Pavić
Vlasta Pavic
Vlasta Pavić is a former mayor of Zagreb and a member of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia .-Her term as Mayor:Pavić was elected mayor of Zagreb on March 1, 2002 after Milan Bandić was forced to resign due to a public scandal. She was elected with the support of city assembly members of the...
, the mayor at that time. Ivica Račan
Ivica Racan
Ivica Račan was a Croatian career politician, leader of the League of Communists of Croatia and later Social Democratic Party from 1989 to 2007...
later condemned the advertisement as a political mistake, telling the Zagreb SDP that they would face consequences for their action.
A court case ensued, with charges being brought against Bandić and others involved. Three years later, Bandić was acquitted and the City of Zagreb was awarded ownership of the Zagrepčanka lot in a court judgment. Bandić promised a new business district in the Zagrepčanka location.
Not all legal troubles have been solved, however, as the city still has to deal with unsolved cases and complaints entered against the lot. In 2008 the sale of the Zagrepčanka lot to Institut IGH
Institut IGH
Institut IGH is a Croatian company active in civil engineering professional services and scientific research, including development of designs, studies, supervision, consulting, investigation works, assessments, laboratory testing and instrument calibration...
was announced, but the deal fell through in 2009; this has potential to incur a cost of €4.5 million to the Zagreb holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
.
Land-exchange case
As of October 2007 Bandić was under investigation by the USKOKUSKOK
USKOK is a Croatian government institution. It is a State Attorney office specialized in corruption and organized crime.USKOK started work in December 2001...
(Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime) about several deals he made as mayor of Zagreb, including the July 2007 exchange of a lot at the intersection of Maksimirska Street and Šušak Avenue
Gojko Šušak Avenue
Gojko Šušak Avenue is an avenue in northeastern Zagreb, Croatia. It serves as part of the boundary between city districts Maksimir and Gornja Dubrava. Spanning between Štefanovec Road and Dubrava Avenue, the avenue has four lanes and a parking lot along its western side. Its most important...
for a lot in Sesvetski Kraljevec. A court-appointed expert allowed the exchange at a price of 1,300 kuna per square meter (€185) for the Sesvete lot (located in the suburbs, outside the Zagreb bypass
Zagreb bypass
Zagreb bypass , is an U-shaped motorway partially encircling Zagreb, Croatia. The largest part by far, between Jankomir and Ivanja Reka interchanges, has been built between 1977 and 1979, while Ivanja Reka - Sveta Helena section has been built between 1996 and 1999. The bypass is long, tracing...
) and 2,300 kuna (€321) for the Maksimirska lot (located in the Maksimir
Maksimir
Maksimir is one of the neighborhoods of Zagreb, Croatia. Maksimir stadium and Maksimir Park are located in it. It was named after the bishop Maksimilijan Vrhovac....
district, several hundred meters from downtown). New experts considered the lot on Maksimirska Street to be more valuable than the lot in Sesvetski Kraljevec. Thus, a USKOK source testified that Bandić made a deal damaging to the city budget. The two companies with whom Bandić dealt were headed by inexperienced students, furthering the appearance of impropriety.
Cvjetni prolaz case
Bandić was involved in the Cvjetni prolaz case (a lengthy affair beginning in 2007), which centered on the controversial demolition and conversion of historical buildings in Petar Preradović Square into a shopping mallShopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in Zagreb's Lower Town
Donji Grad
Donji grad is one of the 17 city districts of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. It is located in the central part of the city and has 45,108 inhabitants . The official name of the district is rarely used, for it is dubbed centar by most of the Zagreb residents....
area. The project was headed by developer Tomislav Horvatinčić, who was alleged to have used illegal means in an attempt to evict the buildings' residents. These residents included a headquarters and church operated by the Zagreb-Ljubljana metropolia
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
and the home of the late poet Vladimir Vidrić
Vladimir Vidric
Vladimir Vidrić was a Croatian poet. He is considered one of the major figures of the Croatian secessionist poetry.-Life:...
. Bandić is known to be a strong supporter of Horvatinčić, publicly criticizing opponents of the project. In August 2008, Horvatinčić obtained a license to demolish the old buildings. Residents of the surrounding buildings and environmentalists argued that the license was improperly issued, but the demolition is (as of 2011) still underway. However, Horvatinčić is forbidden to demolish Vidrić's home or build any part of the project until he obtains a building-location license, which requires him to prove he can build a walkway between Gundulićeva Street and Cvjetni Square.
Minor controversies
A controversy arose on 31 July 2005, when Bandić was on a bus with 30 other people and saw workers waving on the street. He then allegedly cited the Auschwitz motto: "Work liberates, the Nazis weren't totally dumb." Hrvoje Krešić, a Novi listNovi list
Novi list is the oldest Croatian daily newspaper published in Rijeka. It is most read in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County of Croatia....
journalist, allegedly heard Bandić and published his statement. The following day Bandić threatened to sue Krešić and Novi list; he claimed he said "Marxists," not "Nazis". Bandić's statement was corroborated by several of his nearby colleagues; other journalists at the rear of the bus did not hear anything said by Bandić, due to noise inside the vehicle. Bandić said that if awarded damages
Damages
In law, damages is an award, typically of money, to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury; grammatically, it is a singular noun, not plural.- Compensatory damages :...
, he would donate the money to the Simon Wiesenthal Center
Simon Wiesenthal Center
The Simon Wiesenthal Center , with headquarters in Los Angeles, California, was established in 1977 and named for Simon Wiesenthal, the Nazi hunter. According to its mission statement, it is "an international Jewish human rights organization dedicated to repairing the world one step at a time...
. The director of the center, Efraim Zuroff
Efraim Zuroff
Efraim Zuroff is an Israeli historian of American origin, who has played a role in bringing Nazis indicted for war crimes to trial...
, refused.
In January 2006, Bandić publicly threatened a journalist working for Večernji list
Vecernji list
Večernji list is a Croatian daily newspaper published in Zagreb.The newspaper was started in the 1950s and it is today one of two largest daily newspapers in Croatia...
. The journalist asked Bandić about an offer from a Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
company; Bandić replied aggressively, cursing and threatening the journalist. Afterwards, he claimed he had simply spoken to the journalist in a loud voice.
On 31 May 2007 Bandić fell asleep shortly before noon during a session of the Zagreb City Assembly; TV cameras captured the moment. This was apparently not the first time he suffered from sleep problems; he fell asleep June 16, 2006 at the Croatian National Theater, where he presented an award to Marija Mustać, secretary of the Croatian Association of the Blind
Croatian Association of the Blind
The Croatian Association of the Blind is an organization structured to help blind people in everyday life. It is a member of both European Blind Union and World Blind Union. It is structured so as to contain 26 local member organizations, which altogether cover the whole Croatia. These...
.
In May 2008 Bandić left his car illegally parked at the center of Pavao Šubić Avenue
Pavao Šubic Avenue
thumb|Northern end of Šubićeva looking south from [[Eugen Kvaternik Square]]Pavao Šubić Avenue is an avenue in Zagreb, Croatia. It connects Kvaternik Square with Petar Krešimir IV Square. It serves as the border between Maksimir and Peščenica city districts. Pavao Šubić Avenue is four-lane in its...
, creating a road hazard and causing traffic problems; he held a public presentation of a camera system designed to issue tickets
Traffic ticket
A traffic ticket is a notice issued by a law enforcement official to a motorist or other road user, accusing violation of traffic laws. Traffic tickets generally come in two forms, citing a moving violation, such as exceeding the speed limit, or a non-moving violation, such as a parking violation,...
to red-light runners, improperly-parked cars and the like. He then shopped in the Dolac open-air market while his driver waited in the car, obstructing traffic. When questioned about this incident, Bandić blamed it on his driver.
Health problems
On 3 July 2003 after a session of the Zagreb City Council Bandić requested medical assistance, stating that he had begun to feel ill during the session. The media reported that he had suffered a minor strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
; the official explanation was that exhaustion and overwork had caused a blood vessel
Blood vessel
The blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system that transports blood throughout the body. There are three major types of blood vessels: the arteries, which carry the blood away from the heart; the capillaries, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between the blood and...
in his endocranium
Endocranium
For internal cast of the cranium, see Endocast.The endocranium in comparative anatomy is a part of the skull base in vertebrates and represent the basal, inner part of the cranium. The term is also applied to the outer layer of the dura mater in human anatomy.-Basic structure:Structurally, the...
to spasm
Spasm
In medicine a spasm is a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ, or a similarly sudden contraction of an orifice. It is sometimes accompanied by a sudden burst of pain, but is usually harmless and ceases after a few minutes...
. In interviews, Bandić referred to his condition as a stroke. He was hospitalized for a few weeks, and then went to Krapinske Toplice
Krapinske Toplice
Krapinske Toplice is a village and municipality in Krapina-Zagorje County in Croatia. According to the 2001 census, there are 5,744 inhabitants in the area, absolute majority of which are Croats.The settlements in the municipality are:* Čret, population 664...
to recover. Journalists regarded his political career as over, but he quickly recovered and returned to his duties on 2 September. Bandić attributes his health problems to often working up to 16 hours a day.