Ruža Tomašić
Encyclopedia
Ruža Tomašić is a Croatia
n politician. She served as a Member of Parliament
from 2003 to 2008 on the list of Croatian Party of Rights
, and has since founded a splinter party, Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević
, of which she is currently the president. To the general public in Croatia, she is best known as an anti-drug activist.
, current-day Bosnia and Herzegovina
, and grew up with her parents, six sisters and a brother in the Slavonia
n village of Velika Kopanica
. At age 15, she left Yugoslavia
and joined her older sister, who was married and lived in Toronto
, Canada
. Tomašić worked on a variety of jobs to support herself before enrolling at the Ontario Police College
, from where she graduated near the top of her class in 1981. In her career as a police officer in Toronto and Vancouver
, she primarily dealt with juvenile delinquency
and illegal drug trade, which included undercover
work.
for top Croatian government officials. In 1992, she was diagnosed with uterine cancer
, and chose to go back to Canada to receive medical treatment. She decided to move to Croatia for the second time only in 1998, after recovering completely from her illness. In the meantime, Tomašić appeared in approximately 20 episodes of television series The X-Files
and Millennium
as a stuntwoman
, drawing on her experience of riding a police motorcycle
in the mid-1980s.
as early as 1990. After settling in Croatia with her family in 1998, she began a more earnest involvement in politics, became a vice-president of the Croatian Party of Rights, and entered the 2003 election
in the top spot on her party's list in the 10th electoral unit, which gave her a seat in the Parliament
. Her term ended in January 2008.
In 2009 Tomašić left the Croatian Party of Rights over disagreements with its president, Anto Đapić. She accused Đapić of "betraying the party" and of using his position for personal gain. In September 2009 she was elected president of a new party, Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević
.
To the general public in Croatia, Tomašić is best known as an anti-drug activist. Aside from helping the addicts and participating in public discussions about drug abuse, she publicly denounced known drug dealers, relying mostly on information received from the addicts' parents. She received a number of death threats in 2006, and in 2007 it was reported that organized crime
groups had been planning her assassination. By that time, she had started carrying a pistol for self-defense, and her family received police protection. In December 2010 Tomašić received the Order of Stjepan Radić
in recognition of her efforts in fighting the organized crime.
, on the island of Korčula
, which is the birthplace of her husband Vlado, whom she married in 1987. They have two children, Tomislav (born c. 1988) and Zrinka (born c. 1989).
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. She served as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
from 2003 to 2008 on the list of Croatian Party of Rights
Croatian Party of Rights
The Croatian Party of Rights is a right-wing political party in Croatia. The "right" in the party's name refer to the idea of Croatian national and ethnic rights that the party has vowed to protect since its founding in the 19th century...
, and has since founded a splinter party, Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević
Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević
Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević is a radical right-wing political party in Croatia. It was founded in 2009 by Ruža Tomašić and others as a splinter party from the Croatian Party of Rights. In 2010, they reported a membership of 12,500. , it is not represented in the Croatian...
, of which she is currently the president. To the general public in Croatia, she is best known as an anti-drug activist.
Early life
Ruža Tomašić was born in the village of MladoševicaMladoševica
Mladoševica is a village in the municipality of Maglaj, Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, current-day Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, and grew up with her parents, six sisters and a brother in the Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
n village of Velika Kopanica
Velika Kopanica
Velika Kopanica is a village and municipality in Brod-Posavina County, Croatia. There are 3,570 inhabitants in which 98% declare themselves Croats Velika Kopanica is also a birthplace of the great 19th century Croatian educational pedagogist Ivan Filipović-External links:*...
. At age 15, she left Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
and joined her older sister, who was married and lived in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Tomašić worked on a variety of jobs to support herself before enrolling at the Ontario Police College
Ontario Police College
The Ontario Police College is located in Malahide Township, just east of Aylmer, in Elgin County in Southwestern Ontario, Canada.-Programs:...
, from where she graduated near the top of her class in 1981. In her career as a police officer in Toronto and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, she primarily dealt with juvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency is participation in illegal behavior by minors who fall under a statutory age limit. Most legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as juvenile detention centers. There are a multitude of different theories on the causes of crime, most if not...
and illegal drug trade, which included undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
work.
Return to Croatia
In September 1990 Tomašić moved to Croatia, upon invitation by president Franjo Tuđman, and became a bodyguardBodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
for top Croatian government officials. In 1992, she was diagnosed with uterine cancer
Uterine cancer
The term uterine cancer may refer to any of several different types of cancer which occur in the uterus, namely:*Uterine sarcomas: sarcomas of the myometrium, or muscular layer of the uterus, are most commonly leiomyosarcomas.*Endometrial cancer:...
, and chose to go back to Canada to receive medical treatment. She decided to move to Croatia for the second time only in 1998, after recovering completely from her illness. In the meantime, Tomašić appeared in approximately 20 episodes of television series The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
and Millennium
Millennium (TV series)
Millennium is an American television series created by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files. Millennium aired on the Fox Network from 1996 to 1999. The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, though most episodes were ostensibly set in or around Seattle, Washington...
as a stuntwoman
Stunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
, drawing on her experience of riding a police motorcycle
Police motorcycle
A police motorcycle is a motorcycle used by various police forces and departments. They may be custom designed to meet the requirements unique of a particular use. A police motorcycle is often called a "motor" by police officers in the United States...
in the mid-1980s.
Politics and activism
Tomašić was politically active in the Croatian Canadian community, and became a member of the Croatian Party of RightsCroatian Party of Rights
The Croatian Party of Rights is a right-wing political party in Croatia. The "right" in the party's name refer to the idea of Croatian national and ethnic rights that the party has vowed to protect since its founding in the 19th century...
as early as 1990. After settling in Croatia with her family in 1998, she began a more earnest involvement in politics, became a vice-president of the Croatian Party of Rights, and entered the 2003 election
Croatian parliamentary election, 2003
-External links:*...
in the top spot on her party's list in the 10th electoral unit, which gave her a seat in the Parliament
Parliament of Croatia
The Parliament of Croatia or the Sabor is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia and legislature of the country. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, represents the people and is vested with the legislative power...
. Her term ended in January 2008.
In 2009 Tomašić left the Croatian Party of Rights over disagreements with its president, Anto Đapić. She accused Đapić of "betraying the party" and of using his position for personal gain. In September 2009 she was elected president of a new party, Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević
Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević
Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starčević is a radical right-wing political party in Croatia. It was founded in 2009 by Ruža Tomašić and others as a splinter party from the Croatian Party of Rights. In 2010, they reported a membership of 12,500. , it is not represented in the Croatian...
.
To the general public in Croatia, Tomašić is best known as an anti-drug activist. Aside from helping the addicts and participating in public discussions about drug abuse, she publicly denounced known drug dealers, relying mostly on information received from the addicts' parents. She received a number of death threats in 2006, and in 2007 it was reported that organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
groups had been planning her assassination. By that time, she had started carrying a pistol for self-defense, and her family received police protection. In December 2010 Tomašić received the Order of Stjepan Radić
Order of Stjepan Radic
The Order of Stjepan Radić is a Croatian national decoration which ranks twelfth in importance. The order was formed on April 1, 1995.The Order of Stjepan Radić is granted to Croatians and foreigners for services and sacrifices for the national and social rights of the Croatian people.-Sources:*...
in recognition of her efforts in fighting the organized crime.
Personal life
Tomašić lives in SmokvicaSmokvica
Smokvica is a village on the island of Korčula and a municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County in Croatia. It has a population of 1,210 , in which the absolute majority are Croats . Smokvica is located in the centre of the island of Korcula, about 4 kilometers west of Čara, 13 kilometers east...
, on the island of Korčula
Korcula
Korčula is an island in the Adriatic Sea, in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. The island has an area of ; long and on average wide — and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 16,182 inhabitants make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk...
, which is the birthplace of her husband Vlado, whom she married in 1987. They have two children, Tomislav (born c. 1988) and Zrinka (born c. 1989).