Zdravko Tomac
Encyclopedia
Zdravko Tomac is a Croatia
n politician.
A native of Slavonski Brod
, Zdravko Tomac began his political career in Communist Party of Yugoslavia. There he rose through the ranks, becoming close associate of Jakov Blažević. In late 1980s he became one of the chief ideologists of League of Communists of Croatia
and one of the closest associates of Ivica Račan
.
After Croatian Communist Party rebranded itself into Social Democratic Party of Croatia
and lost 1990 parliamentary elections, Tomac worked very hard to steer the party towards the nationalist course close to Franjo Tuđman and ruling Croatian Democratic Union
. Because of that, Tomac became deputy prime minister in the wartime "National Unity" government of Franjo Gregurić
, thus becoming one of the first top Communist officials in Eastern Europe
to return to top executive post after the fall of Berlin Wall
. He served as deputy prime minister from August 1991 to June 1992. There Tomac pushed for hardline policies under the pretext of helping war effort, including the curbing of press freedom and criticising human rights organisations for their meddling in Croatian internal affairs.
Because of that, many in Croatian public saw Tomac as just another of many former Communist officials who discarded their former ideology in order to embrace Croatian nationalism
of Tuđman and HDZ. The only difference was in Tomac choosing to remain within the former Communist Party. This served SDP very well, which made Tomac into one of their most prominent members and thus gained enough nationalist credentials to improve its electoral chances in the long run.
Tomac showed this potential in the Croatian parliamentary election, 1995
by winning a Sabor seat in Zagreb and later serving as a Zagreb City Assembly speaker and informal opposition leader during the Zagreb Crisis
.
Two years later he ran as SDP candidate at the Croatian presidential election, 1997
. Although Tomac failed to unseat Tuđman, he scored an important victory for himself and his party by finishing second with 21.0% of the vote. He came on top of former dissident Vladimir Gotovac
and Croatian Social Liberal Party
. With SDP established as the top opposition party in Croatia, it had the upper in the negotiations that would lead to 1998 pre-election pact with HSLS and victory at the Croatian parliamentary election, 2000
.
Ironically, 2000 triumph proved to be the beginning of Tomac's political decline. Soon after parliamentary elections, Croatia had elections for president
. SDP endorsed Dražen Budiša
as its candidate and appointed Tomac to be his campaign manager. What looked like a formality turned into very unpredictable and increasingly vicious contest when Stjepan Mesić
joined the fray. When the contest got narrowed to Budiša and Mesić, Tomac began to pander to nationalist and right-wing voters. This didn't have much effect and Mesić got easily elected, with Tomac's position within the party and new government becoming increasingly marginalised.
As time went by, Tomac began to drift from Račan and SDP. He began to criticise ICTY and bitterly oppose extradition of Croatian generals to Hague. Finally, in September 2003 he formally announced his departure from SDP.
He founded new party called Croatian Social Democrats (Croatian: Hrvatski socijaldemokrati), but this party, even after being allied with few small right-wing parties, failed to enter Zagreb City Assembly on 2005 local elections.
Tomac has been one of the most vocal supporters in Croatian politics of the Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
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.
A native of Slavonski Brod
Slavonski Brod
Slavonski Brod is a city in Croatia, with a population of 59,507 in 2011. The city was known as Marsonia in the Roman Empire, and as Brod na Savi 1244–1934. It is the sixth largest city in Croatia, after Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek and Zadar. Located in the region of Slavonia, it is the...
, Zdravko Tomac began his political career in Communist Party of Yugoslavia. There he rose through the ranks, becoming close associate of Jakov Blažević. In late 1980s he became one of the chief ideologists of 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 :...
and one of the closest associates of 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...
.
After Croatian Communist Party rebranded itself into 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...
and lost 1990 parliamentary elections, Tomac worked very hard to steer the party towards the nationalist course close to Franjo Tuđman and ruling 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...
. Because of that, Tomac became deputy prime minister in the wartime "National Unity" government of Franjo Gregurić
Franjo Greguric
Franjo Gregurić is a Croatian politician who served as prime minister of Croatia from July 1991 to September 1992.Gregurić was born in the Zagorje village of Lobor. He attended the Technical highschool in Zagreb, and then the Technical Faculty of the University of Zagreb...
, thus becoming one of the first top Communist officials in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
to return to top executive post after the fall of Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
. He served as deputy prime minister from August 1991 to June 1992. There Tomac pushed for hardline policies under the pretext of helping war effort, including the curbing of press freedom and criticising human rights organisations for their meddling in Croatian internal affairs.
Because of that, many in Croatian public saw Tomac as just another of many former Communist officials who discarded their former ideology in order to embrace Croatian nationalism
Croatian nationalism
Croatian nationalism is the nationalism of Croats or of Croatian culture. It arose in the 19th century in response to Magyarization of Croat territories under Hungarian rule, especially under the influence of Ante Starčević and Eugen Kvaternik,...
of Tuđman and HDZ. The only difference was in Tomac choosing to remain within the former Communist Party. This served SDP very well, which made Tomac into one of their most prominent members and thus gained enough nationalist credentials to improve its electoral chances in the long run.
Tomac showed this potential in the Croatian parliamentary election, 1995
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...
by winning a Sabor seat in Zagreb and later serving as a Zagreb City Assembly speaker and informal opposition leader during 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...
.
Two years later he ran as SDP candidate at the Croatian presidential election, 1997
Croatian presidential election, 1997
Presidential elections were held in Croatia on 15 June 1997. The result was a victory for Franjo Tuđman of the Croatian Democratic Union , who received 61.4% of the vote. Voter turnout was 54.6%.-Results:...
. Although Tomac failed to unseat Tuđman, he scored an important victory for himself and his party by finishing second with 21.0% of the vote. He came on top of former dissident Vladimir Gotovac
Vladimir Gotovac
Vladimir "Vlado" Gotovac was a Croatian poet and liberal politician.Vladimir Gotovac was known as a very talented poet but was also stigmatized as a Croatian nationalist in socialist Yugoslavia...
and Croatian Social Liberal Party
Croatian Social Liberal Party
Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS is a conservative liberal political party in Croatia. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. Its current president is Darinko Kosor, elected to that post in November 2009.-Chronology:The HSLS was...
. With SDP established as the top opposition party in Croatia, it had the upper in the negotiations that would lead to 1998 pre-election pact with HSLS and victory at the Croatian parliamentary election, 2000
Croatian parliamentary election, 2000
Elections for the Chamber of Representatives of the Croatian Parliament were held on January 3, 2000. These were the first elections to be held after the expiration of a full term of the previous Chamber....
.
Ironically, 2000 triumph proved to be the beginning of Tomac's political decline. Soon after parliamentary elections, Croatia had elections for president
Croatian presidential election, 2000
Presidential elections were held in Croatia on 24 January 2000. As no candidate passed the 50% threshold, a secound round was held on 7 February, the first time a second round had been required in the country's history. The result was a victory for Stjepan Mesić of the Croatian People's Party, who...
. SDP endorsed Dražen Budiša
Dražen Budiša
Dražen Budiša is a Croatian politician who used to be leading opposition figure in the 1990s and a two-time presidential candidate.-During Yugoslavia:...
as its candidate and appointed Tomac to be his campaign manager. What looked like a formality turned into very unpredictable and increasingly vicious contest when 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...
joined the fray. When the contest got narrowed to Budiša and Mesić, Tomac began to pander to nationalist and right-wing voters. This didn't have much effect and Mesić got easily elected, with Tomac's position within the party and new government becoming increasingly marginalised.
As time went by, Tomac began to drift from Račan and SDP. He began to criticise ICTY and bitterly oppose extradition of Croatian generals to Hague. Finally, in September 2003 he formally announced his departure from SDP.
He founded new party called Croatian Social Democrats (Croatian: Hrvatski socijaldemokrati), but this party, even after being allied with few small right-wing parties, failed to enter Zagreb City Assembly on 2005 local elections.
Tomac has been one of the most vocal supporters in Croatian politics of the Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina
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...
.
Works
- Predsjednik protiv predsjednika, 2005
- Tuđmanizam i mesićizam - predsjednik protiv predsjednika, 2. dio, 2007
- Obraćenje - od komunista do vjernika, 2008