Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of the Republic of Croatia Ivan Anušić

Curriculum vitae

Ivan Anušić

  • Born on October 13, 1973 in Osijek.
  • Married and has four children.

Education

  • Graduated from the Faculty of Kinesiology in Zagreb

Career

  • 2017 – Present: Osijek-Baranja County prefect
  • 2016 – 2017: a member of the 9th term of the Croatian Parliament (War Veterans Committee Chairperson and a member of the Defence Committee)
  • 2015 – 2016: a member of the 8th term of the Croatian Parliament (Deputy Chairperson of the National Council for Monitoring Anti-Corruption Strategy Implementation, also a member of the Agriculture Committee and the Committee on Regional Development and European Union Funds)
  • 2005 – 2017: Mayor of the Municipality of Antunovac
  • 2002 – 2005: a coach and president of the Kickboxing Club Antunovac
  • 1991 – 2001: a voluntary member of the Homeland War; a member of the National Guard Corps, 106th and 130th Brigade; a member of the Special Police of the Ministry of the Interior, Military Police and the CAF 3rd Guard Brigade

Miscellaneous

  • At the age of 17, he quit high school to join the voluntary units in March 1991. As a minor, he was a Homeland War volunteer and a member of the National Guard Corps, 106th Brigade in June 1991. During the Homeland War, he was a member of the National Guard Corps, 106th and 130th Brigade; a member of the Special Police of the Ministry of the Interior, Military Police and the CAF 3rd Guard Brigade. From 1991 to 1995 he was engaged in battlefields in Croatia, from Eastern Slavonia to the Dubrovnik region. In August 1992 he participated in the operation conducted to liberate the Dubrovnik hinterland led by General Janko Bobetko. He also participated in Operation Maslenica. In August 1993 he was engaged in battlefields in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a member of the Special Police of the Ministry of the Interior, from 1993 to 1995 he participated in operations on the Velebit Mountain, including Operation Flash and other operations conducted to liberate the territory of Western Slavonia. He has received Homeland War Commemorative Decoration for his participation in military and police Operation Flash, as well as other commendations and awards.
  • In 2011 he joined the political party called the Croatian Democratic Union and was elected president of the party’s County Committee in Osijek-Baranja County in March 2014. Two years later, he was unanimously elected to the same duty at the regular electoral assembly of the party’s County Committee in Osijek-Baranja County. In 2020 he was elected vice president of the Croatian Democratic Union.
  • As a member of the Croatian Parliament, he started a series of initiatives, such as changes to statistical regions, amendments to the Water Act in relation to sand and gravel exploatation, changes to legislative rules regarding wood pulp allocation and other community beneficial initiatives.
  • During the tenth term of the Croatian Parliament, he headed the party’s slate in fourth constituency and won 23,671 preferential votes, the third-best result in the 2020 elections. For the first time in the party’s history, the Croatian Democration Union won eight parliamentary mandates.
  • After he was elected the Osijek-Baranja County prefect in 2017, he submitted a request to suspend his term of office. In the first round of the 2021 local elections, he was elected the Osijek-Baranja County prefect again. A series of capital infrastructure projects were started and completed during his term as prefect of Osijek-Baranja County. He also placed a strong political emphasis on enhancing cooperation and support for Croatian people living abroad, particularly those in Vojvodina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.

Former Croatian Defence Ministers:

  1. Zdravko Jakop (based on the Decision of the Croatian Government on authorising the State Secretary to head the Ministry of Defence November 11, 2023 – November 16, 2023)
  2. Mario Banožić (July 23, 2020 – November 11, 2023)
  3. Tomislav Ivić (based on the Decision of the Croatian Government on authorising the State Secretary to head the Ministry of Defence May 14, 2020 – July 24, 2020)
  4. Damir Krstičević (October 20, 2016 – May 14, 2020)
  5. Josip Buljević (22 January 2016 – 20 October 2016)
  6. Ante Kotromanovic (23 December 2011 22 January 2016)
  7. Davor Bozinovic (29. December 2010 – 23. December 2011)
  8. Branko Vukelic (12 January 2008-29 December 2010)
  9. Berislav Rončević (December 23, 2003 – January 12, 2008)
  10. Željka Antunović (July 30, 2002 – December 23, 2003)
  11. Jozo Radoš (January 28, 2000 – July 30, 2002)
  12. Pavao Miljavac (October 4, 1998 – January 27, 2000)
  13. Andrija Hebrang (May 14, 1998 – October 12, 1998)
  14. Gojko Šušak (September 18, 1991 – May 3, 1998)
  15. Luka Bebić (July 31, 1991 – September 18, 1991)
  16. Šime Đodan (July 2, 1991 – July 31, 1991)
  17. Martin Špegelj (August 24, 1990 – July 2, 1991)
  18. Petar Kriste (May 31, 1990 – August 24, 1990)