Croatian Commissioner & MEPs 2013: profile, political party, policy areas.

1. Croatia: the 28th
Member State of the
European Union
Who’s Who
July 2013

2. Neven Mimica
EU Commissioner for Consumer Protection
Political party affiliation
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D);
Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).
Policy areas
Advancement of the proposed Directive on the Comparability of
Fees Related to Payment Accounts.
Development of an alternative online dispute resolution (ODR) system.
Promotion of the Member States’ integration within the EU
Single Market and communication on the cohesive enforcement
of consumer safety mechanisms.
Profile
Croatian Deputy Prime Minister for Home, Foreign and European
Affairs (2011-2013). He previously served as a Member of the
Parliament (2004-2011), and as Minister for European Integration
(2001-2003).

3. Marino Baldini
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Political party affiliation
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
(S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).
Areas of interest
Modern cultural history, archaeology and Istrian heritage.
EU-funded conservation parks and heritage protection
projects.
Profile
He served two terms as Mayor of Vižinada/Visinada (2005-2006,
2009-2013). Director and Curator of the Museum of Poreč/Parenzo,
Baldini has authored numerous articles on archaeology, museology,
monument conservation, art history and contemporary art.

4. Biljana Borzan
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Political party affiliation
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
(S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).
Areas of interest
Issues dealing with transportation within the European
Union, such as:
The implementation of safety provisions on fishing vessels and
railways.
The opening up of domestic markets for passengers railway
transport services.
Regulations regarding roadside inspection of commercial vehicles.
Profile
Croatian Observer Member of the European Parliament (2012-2013).
Member of the National Parliament (2007-2013).

5. Zdravka Bušić
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Political party affiliation
European People’s Party (EPP); Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ).
Areas of interest
Information technology organisation and librarianship.
Migration, refugee repatriation, counseling and historical
archiving.
Profile
Member of the National Parliament (1995-2003). Bušić was
Advisor to the Office of the Croatian President. From 2004 to
2011 she was advisor on the computerisation of the National and
University Libraries in Zagreb.

6. Ivana Maletić
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Political party affiliation
European People’s Party (EPP); Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ).
Areas of interest
Budget processes and the State Treasury’s role in allocating
pre-accession EU funds.
State accounting, methodology development for financial
reporting systems, the coordination of Croatia’s accounting
system with International Public Sector Accounting Standards
(IPSAS).
Profile
President of the Center for Public and Non-profit Sector
Development (2012). Maletić served as State Secretary at the
Ministry of Finance (2008-2011) and as Minister for Budget
Execution Assistant (2005-2008).

7. Sandra Petrović Jakovina
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Political party affiliation
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
(S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).
Areas of interest
EU foreign affairs regarding enlargement and Trans-Atlantic
relations.
Administration of justice, human rights and security issues.
Profile
Member of the National Parliament (2012-2013). Ms. Jakovina
was Croatia’s youngest Member of Parliament and she is now
Croatia’s youngest MEP.

8.
Tonino Picula
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on Foreign Affairs
Political party affiliation
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
(S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).
Areas of interest
Active representative in the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); he has led five election
observation missions to the Commonwealth of Independent
States.
Advocate for social and cultural issues such as veterans’
rights, protection of traumatised children, intra-Balkans
cultural exchanges and strategic friendship building.
Profile
Croatian Observer in the European Parliament (2012-2013),
Member of the National Parliament (2003-2013).

9. Andrej Plenković
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on Budgets
Political party affiliation
European People’s Party (EPP); Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ).
.
Areas of interest
Croatia’s inclusion in the EU’s Multiannual Financial
Framework 2014-2020.
The efficient allocation of EU funds to Croatian strategic
infrastructure projects.
Reform of the European Globalization Adjustment Fund.
Profile
Croatian Observer Member in EU Parliament (2012-2013),
Member of the National Parliament (2011-2013).

10.
Davor Ivo Stier
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on Foreign Affairs
Political party affiliation
European People’s Party (EPP); Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ).
Areas of interest
Croatia’s integration into the US and European community
and its participation in security organizations such as NATO.
Profile
Member of the National Parliament (2011-2013), Deputy Head of
the Prime Minister’s Office Jadranka Kosor (2009-2010). He
worked as a Croatian Representative to the NATO Mission in
Brussels (2002).

11. Dubravka Šuica
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Political party affiliation
European People’s Party (EPP); Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ).
Areas of interest
Cultural and environmental preservation of historic sites,
such as Dubrovnik.
Social and architectural reconstruction initiatives for war
torn areas.
Profile
Vice President of the European People’s Party Women’s
Association, Member of the National Parliament (2000-2004,
2008-2011). Šuica was the first female Mayor of Dubrovnik
(2001-2009).

12. Ruža Tomašić
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Substitute on Special
Committee on Organised Crime, Corruption and Money Laundering
Political party affiliation
European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR);
Croatian Party of Rights Dr. Ante Starcevic (HSPAS).
Areas of interest
Well-known for her anti-drug and anti-corruption efforts,
Tomašić was appreciated for her fight against organised
crime in Croatia.
Profile
Member of National Parliament (2003-2008, 2011-2013). President
of right-wing, conservative party HSPAS (2009); President of the
National Council for Monitoring the Implementation of Anti-
Corruption.

13.
Oleg Valjalo
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on Budgets
Political party affiliation
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
(S&D); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).
Areas of interest
Implementation of the Strategy of Tourism Development in
the Republic of Croatia until 2020.
Profile
Vice-President of the Dubrovnik County Council (2013-Present),
Deputy Minister of Tourism (2011-2013).

14. Nikola Vuljanić
Member of the European Parliament
EU Committee on Foreign Affairs
Political party affiliation
European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL);
Croatian Labourists - Labour Party.
Areas of interest
The EU policies on education:
The incorporation of new technologies – such as
audiovisual media and Internet – into existing
mechanisms for cultural promotion.
Development of music, architecture and fashion in
university education to strengthen connections between
academia and the professional environment.
Profile
Croatian Observer Member of the European Parliament, Observer
Member of the Committee on Culture and Education (2012-2013),
Member of National Parliament (2003-2007, 2011-2013).