Ivan Vekić

Ivan Vekić (Croatian pronunciation: [ǐʋan ʋěːkit͡ɕ]; 18 October 1938 – 17 December 2014) was a Croatian politician and lawyer. He was one of the founders of the Croatian Democratic Union and served as the Croatian Minister of Interior during the Croatian War of Independence.

Ivan Vekić
Ivan Vekić in September 2011
Minister of the Interior
In office
17 July 1991 – 15 April 1992
PresidentFranjo Tuđman
Prime MinisterFranjo Gregurić
Preceded byOnesin Cvitan
Succeeded byIvan Jarnjak
Personal details
Born(1938-10-18)18 October 1938
Poljica near Vrgorac, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Died 17 December 2014(2014-12-17) (aged 76)
Osijek, Croatia[1]
Political partyHrvatska Straža
Other political
affiliations		Croatian Democratic Union (1989–2003)
Only Croatia (2007)
ProfessionLawyer
AwardsOrder of Ante Starčević
Military service
Allegiance Croatia
Branch/serviceCroatian Army
Years of service1991–1995
RankColonel
CommandsCroatian Police
Battles/warsCroatian War of Independence

Biography

Vekić was born in Poljica near Vrgorac in Kingdom of Yugoslavia on 18 October 1938. He was a member of Matica hrvatska and was one of the founders of the Croatian Democratic Union in 1989.[2] In 1990 he entered the Croatian Parliament. He served as the Minister of Interior from 31 July 1991 until 15 April 1992. During the Croatian War of Independence he had a rank of Colonel.[3] He was decorated with the Order of Ante Starčević for contribution to the maintenance and development of the Croatian statehood idea, establishment and construction of the sovereign Croatian state,[3][4] while he refused to accept 5 decorations which were awarded to him by President Franjo Tuđman.[3]

Vekić is a critic of post-war policy of Croatian Democratic Union. He entered a conflict with the party's new leaders, Ivo Sanader and Vladimir Šeks. In 2003, after publishing Steps in History - Memories and Events (Croatian: Koraci u povijesti – sjećanja i događaji), where he criticized Šeks, he was expelled from the party.[2]

During the parliamentary election in 2007, he was a candidate of Only Croatia – Movement for Croatia for a seat in the Parliament.

In May 2011, after a series of adverse events in Croatia, he reshaped his existing civic association "Croatian Guard" into a nationalist political party called the Croatian Guard National Party.[5] He is the President of the party, and they advocate armed training in high schools and capital punishment.[6]

In September 2011 he was accused for war crimes by Serbia, along with Vladimir Šeks, Branimir Glavaš, Tomislav Merčep and 40 other Croatian soldiers involved in the Battle of Vukovar. He is charged with killing of 13 civilians and 6 unidentified persons.[7]

In October 2011 he entered into a coalition with the Croatian Party of Rights.[8] This was a result of call for unity of right-wing parties made by Daniel Srb, president of the Croatian Party of Rights.[8] Vekić was the top candidate on this coalition's list in the 4th electoral district in the 2011 Croatian parliamentary election.[9] The list won 4.69% of the vote and failed to enter parliament.[10]

References
  1. http://www.vecernji.hr/hrvatska/preminuo-ivan-vekic-ratni-ministar-unutarnjih-poslova-979884
  2. Podrug, Ante; Belak, Anita. Jedan od osnivača HDZ-a Ivan Vekić: Sanader je požeo ono što je godinama sijao. Slobodna Dalmacija. 2010-01-07. Retrieved 2011-10-31 (in Croatian)
  3. Jurčević, Kulić i Rohatinski na čelu države. T-Portal. 2010-11-14. Retrieved 2011-10-31 (in Croatian)
  4. Tuđman, Franjo. Odluka. Narodne novine. 1995-05-28. Retrieved 2011-10-31 (in Croatian)
  5. "Aktualne stranke - "Hrvatska straža" Nacionalna stranka". Imenik stranaka registriranih u RH od 1990. godine. Croatian Information-Documentation Referral Agency. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  6. Patković, Nikola. Osniva se stranka koja će biti za obuku o oružju u srednjoj školi i smrtnu kaznu!. Jutarnji list. 2010-08-26. Retrieved 2011-10-31 (in Croatian)
  7. Stigle optužnice iz Srbije: Šeks, Vekić, Glavaš, Merčep i 40 vukovarskih branitelja. iPress. 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2011-10-31 (in Croatian)
  8. Lepan, Suzana. Vekić: Bit će još utemeljitelja HDZ-a koji će nam se pridružiti. Večernji list. 2011-10-16. Retrieved 2011-10-31 (in Croatian)
  9. Garmaz, Željko. Vekić će sa Srbovim HSP-om koalirati u 4. izbornoj jedinici. 24 sata. 2011-10-16. Retrieved 2011-10-31 (in Croatian)
  10. http://www.izbori.hr/2011Sabor/rezultati/i_02_004_0000_000.html
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