Miroslav Rožic
Encyclopedia
Miroslav Rožić is a Croatian right-wing politician. As a former vice-president of Croatian Party of Rights
(HSP), he served as a representative in Croatian Parliament between 2001 and 2007. He was previously a member of the Croatian Social Liberal Party
(HSLS) and is currently a member of the Croatian Peasant Party
(HSS).
Rožić was born in Zagreb
, as a fourth generation Agramer. His family was very well-to-do before the communists nationalised
their property in 1945. His father was considered to be an Ustasha sympathizer and bourgeois, so in socialist Yugoslavia he had to accept jobs he was over-qualified for.
Rožić obtained a degree in biology from the Faculty of Mathematics and Science at the University of Zagreb
and pursued a scientific career. He planned to defend his doctoral dissertation in 1991 when war erupted in Croatia
. Rožić joined the Croatian Army where he served as a translator, due to his fluent use of English, German and Italian.
He was also a member of Croatian Social Liberal Party
(HSLS), and in 1993 he was elected to Zagreb city council. In 1995, Rožić and his close friend Tonči Tadić left HSLS because of conflicts with party's president Dražen Budiša
and party's positioning on the centre-left part of the political spectrum. The same year they joined the HSP
.
In 1997, Rožić was elected to the now non-existing upper house of Croatian Parliament. He and Tadić became major figures in HSP and refreshed party's image. Rožić became a party leader in Zagreb and ran for mayor in 2005, finishing solid third. In September 2007, after a spat with Anto Đapić, both Rožić and Tadić left HSP.
In October 2009, Rožić joined the Zagreb branch of the Croatian Peasant Party
(HSS).
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...
(HSP), he served as a representative in Croatian Parliament between 2001 and 2007. He was previously a member of the 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...
(HSLS) and is currently a member of 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).
Rožić was born 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...
, as a fourth generation Agramer. His family was very well-to-do before the communists nationalised
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
their property in 1945. His father was considered to be an Ustasha sympathizer and bourgeois, so in socialist Yugoslavia he had to accept jobs he was over-qualified for.
Rožić obtained a degree in biology from the Faculty of Mathematics and 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...
and pursued a scientific career. He planned to defend his doctoral dissertation in 1991 when war erupted in Croatia
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...
. Rožić joined the Croatian Army where he served as a translator, due to his fluent use of English, German and Italian.
He was also a member 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...
(HSLS), and in 1993 he was elected to Zagreb city council. In 1995, Rožić and his close friend Tonči Tadić left HSLS because of conflicts with party's president 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:...
and party's positioning on the centre-left part of the political spectrum. The same year they joined the HSP
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...
.
In 1997, Rožić was elected to the now non-existing upper house of Croatian Parliament. He and Tadić became major figures in HSP and refreshed party's image. Rožić became a party leader in Zagreb and ran for mayor in 2005, finishing solid third. In September 2007, after a spat with Anto Đapić, both Rožić and Tadić left HSP.
In October 2009, Rožić joined the Zagreb branch of 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).