Ema Derossi-Bjelajac

Ema Derossi-Bjelajac, sometimes rendered Derosi-Bjelajac (3 May 1926 – 20 June 2020), was a Croatian politician who served as the President of the Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Croatia (a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) from 1985 until 1986. She was the first woman to hold a title equivalent to a head of state in modern-day Croatia.

Ema Derossi-Bjelajac
6th President of the Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Croatia
In office 20 November 1985 – 10 May 1986
Prime Minister	Ante Marković
Preceded by	Pero Car
Succeeded by	Ante Marković
Deputy Speaker of Parliament
In office 1978–1982
Speaker	Jure Bilić
Member of Parliament
In office 1978–1982
Speaker	Jure Bilić
Personal details
Born	3 May 1926 Stermàzio, Kingdom of Italy
Died	20 June 2020 (aged 94) Zagreb, Croatia
Political party	League of Communists of Yugoslavia
Alma mater	University of Zagreb
Profession	Politician

Biography

She served in a number of high-ranking functions within the League of Communists of Croatia and the Croatian republican government of the period: notably, she was a Member of the Central Committee of the League between 1964 and 1974, and was a Member and Deputy Speaker of the Croatian Parliament (Sabor) between 1978 and 1982. She served in the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia from 1964 to 1968.

On 20 June 2020, she died in Zagreb, aged 94.[1][2]

References

1. "Umrla Ema Derossi Bjelajac, Istranka i prva predsjednica Hrvatske". istarski.hr (in Croatian). 24 June 2020.
2. "EMA DEROSSI-BJELAJAC (1926.- 2020.): Očuvala je Čakavski sabor u najtežim vremenima". glasistre.hr (in Croatian). 26 June 2020.

Sources

• DEROSSI-BJELAJAC, Ema at lzmk.hr (in Croatian)