Franjo Greguric
Encyclopedia
Franjo Gregurić is a Croatia
n 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
. His work experience included the chemical factories "Radonja" in Sisak
, and "Chromos" in Zagreb, where he advanced to the positions of a technical director. He then became a high-ranking official of "Astra", a large state-owned company from Zagreb that exported to the Soviet Union
, and Gregurić worked in Moscow
for some time.
In the first democratic elections of 1990
, Franjo Gregurić entered politics as a member of the Croatian Democratic Union
. In the second Croatian government in 1990 he was a deputy prime minister. On 17 July 1991, he was appointed to the post of prime minister by President Franjo Tuđman.
When he took his post, Croatia was in very difficult situation - its independence was not recognised by international community and Croatia, unlike Slovenia
, lacked proper military infrastructure to resist Krajina
rebels backed by Yugoslav People's Army
. Only few weeks later, following couple of disastrous setbacks for nascent and inexperienced Croatian military, his cabinet was reshuffled by introducing of members of other political parties represented in Croatian Parliament (with exception of Croatian Party of Rights
).
This cabinet, later dubbed as "Government of National Unity", was in charge when major combat operations in Croatia ceased on 3 January 1992, following UN-sponsored armistice. On 15 January 1992 Croatian independence was recognised by major European countries.
This is hailed as the greatest achievement of Gregurić's cabinet, while Gregurić himself enjoyed favourable reputation because of his mild manners and managerial skills. His cabinet was often taken as a great example of national unity under difficult situation.
Those achievements, however, must be taken into proper context. Foreign policy was in hands of Franjo Tuđman, while defence was in hands of Gojko Šušak
and military officials responsible only to President. That left Gregurić with more mundane tasks like issuing first Croatian currency and setting up Croatian air traffic control and other institution previously in Yugoslav federal jurisdiction.
With war generally perceived to be over and with prospects of new elections, "Government of National Unity" began to fall apart. In February 1992 his government proposed the laws offering territorial autonomy to ethnic Serbs in Krajina in exchange for their formal recognition of Croatian sovereignty. Dražen Budiša
, one of government's ministers and leader of Croatian Social Liberal Party
, left the government in protest. This was followed by representative of other parties who gradually left the government.
By the end of his term, cabinet of Franjo Gregurić again had members of only one party.
At parliamentary elections of 1992, Gregurić was elected as representative of HDZ and remained in that party.
Gregurić was later the president of the Croatian Firefighting Association between 1993 and 2000.
In May 2010, Gregurić was appointed the head of the Supervisory board at Institut IGH
.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Croatia from July 1991 to September 1992.
Gregurić was born in the Zagorje
Zagorje
Hrvatsko Zagorje is a region in northern Croatia.Zagorje may also refer to:*Zagorje ob Savi, a town and a municipality in Slovenia*NK Zagorje, a Slovenian football club-See also:...
village of Lobor
Lobor
Lobor is a village and municipality in Krapina-Zagorje county in Croatia. According to the 2001 census, there are 3,669 inhabitants in the area, absolute majority which are Croats....
. He attended the Technical highschool in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, and then the Technical Faculty of 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...
. His work experience included the chemical factories "Radonja" in Sisak
Sisak
Sisak is a city in central Croatia. The city's population in 2011 was 33,049, with a total of 49,699 in the administrative region and it is also the administrative centre of the Sisak-Moslavina county...
, and "Chromos" in Zagreb, where he advanced to the positions of a technical director. He then became a high-ranking official of "Astra", a large state-owned company from Zagreb that exported to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, and Gregurić worked in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
for some time.
In the first democratic elections of 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...
, Franjo Gregurić entered politics as a member of the Croatian Democratic Union
Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
. In the second Croatian government in 1990 he was a deputy prime minister. On 17 July 1991, he was appointed to the post of prime minister by President Franjo Tuđman.
When he took his post, Croatia was in very difficult situation - its independence was not recognised by international community and Croatia, unlike Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, lacked proper military infrastructure to resist Krajina
RSK
RSK may stand for:* Republic of Serbian Krajina* Robinson–Schensted–Knuth algorithm, between biwords and pairs of tableaux* Ribosomal s6 kinase, in molecular biology, a signal transducer* Sanyo Broadcasting, a Japanese radio and TV station...
rebels backed by 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...
. Only few weeks later, following couple of disastrous setbacks for nascent and inexperienced Croatian military, his cabinet was reshuffled by introducing of members of other political parties represented in Croatian Parliament (with exception 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...
).
This cabinet, later dubbed as "Government of National Unity", was in charge when major combat operations in Croatia ceased on 3 January 1992, following UN-sponsored armistice. On 15 January 1992 Croatian independence was recognised by major European countries.
This is hailed as the greatest achievement of Gregurić's cabinet, while Gregurić himself enjoyed favourable reputation because of his mild manners and managerial skills. His cabinet was often taken as a great example of national unity under difficult situation.
Those achievements, however, must be taken into proper context. Foreign policy was in hands of Franjo Tuđman, while defence was in hands of Gojko Šušak
Gojko Šušak
Gojko Šušak was the Croatian Minister of Defence from 1991 to 1998. A Bosnian Croat emigreé to Canada, he entered the political life of Croat diaspora in North America, subsequently becoming a close friend and associate to Franjo Tuđman, the leader of the Croatian Democratic Union, a nationalistic...
and military officials responsible only to President. That left Gregurić with more mundane tasks like issuing first Croatian currency and setting up Croatian air traffic control and other institution previously in Yugoslav federal jurisdiction.
With war generally perceived to be over and with prospects of new elections, "Government of National Unity" began to fall apart. In February 1992 his government proposed the laws offering territorial autonomy to ethnic Serbs in Krajina in exchange for their formal recognition of Croatian sovereignty. 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:...
, one of government's ministers and leader of 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...
, left the government in protest. This was followed by representative of other parties who gradually left the government.
By the end of his term, cabinet of Franjo Gregurić again had members of only one party.
At parliamentary elections of 1992, Gregurić was elected as representative of HDZ and remained in that party.
Gregurić was later the president of the Croatian Firefighting Association between 1993 and 2000.
In May 2010, Gregurić was appointed the head of the Supervisory board at 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...
.