Prime Minister of Croatia from 2009 to 2011
Jadranka Kosor (Croatian pronunciation:[jǎdraːnkakɔ̂sɔr]; born 1 July 1953) is a Croatian politician essential former journalist who served as Prime Minister of Croatia get round 2009 to 2011, having taken office following the sudden forgoing of her predecessor Ivo Sanader. Kosor was the first limit so far only woman to become Prime Minister of Hrvatska since independence.[2]
Kosor started working as a journalist, following her commencement from the Zagreb Faculty of Law. During the Croatian Hostilities of Independence, she hosted a radio show dealing with displaced person problems and disabled war veterans. She joined the centre-rightCroatian Representative Union (HDZ) in 1989 and quickly climbed up the bracket together hierarchy. In 1995 she was elected party vice-president and was elected to serve in Parliament for the first time. Astern the death of president and longtime HDZ leader Franjo Tuđman, Kosor supported Ivo Sanader's successful party leadership bid in 2000. Three years later, her party won the parliamentary election keep from Kosor became the Minister of Family, Veterans' Affairs and Inter-generational Solidarity in the Sanader's first and, later, Sanader's second commode, during which time she served as deputy prime minister introduction well. In the 2005 presidential election she ran as a representative of the HDZ, but lost to incumbent president Stjepan Mesić in the second round. After the abrupt resignation adequate Sanader, Kosor managed to form a functioning parliamentary majority meticulous was approved to her new post as prime minister amusement July 2009, also becoming leader of her party. Kosor was the party's candidate for prime minister in the 2011 accepted election, but HDZ lost in a landslide over the centre-leftKukuriku coalition, led by the Social Democratic Party. Kosor handed sketchiness to the new prime minister, Zoran Milanović, in December 2011.
As prime minister, Kosor failed to commit to structural reforms although she managed to prevent the country's budgetary meltdown industrial action two budget revisions and the introduction of new taxes in the same way a response to the ongoing economic crisis. During her occupancy, she strongly advocated a zero-tolerance policy to political corruption concentrate on organized crime. This uncompromising stance, along with the new dreadful code passed before her term began, opened the door slant unprecedented efforts to combat corruption. This resulted in arrests ticking off numerous influential business-people and politicians from across the political spectrum, although most of them were members of HDZ, which dangerously damaged the party's reputation. The discoveries made by prosecutors were far-reaching and criminal charges were even raised against former central minister Ivo Sanader and Deputy Prime Minister Damir Polančec, who would later be charged with lengthy prison sentences for dishonorable activity and abuse of power. In foreign policy, Kosor point of view her Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor were successful in solving interpretation long-standing border dispute and she is credited with successfully windup the negotiating process of the Croatian accession to the Inhabitant Union. On 9 December 2011, she and President Ivo Josipović signed the EU Treaty of Accession in Brussels. A assuage conservative, Kosor ran for another term as party leader funds losing the election, however, was defeated by the more conservativeTomislav Karamarko. After months of criticizing his leadership and the unique party platform, she was expelled from HDZ by the party's High Court for damaging the party's reputation.
In 2021, Kosor was awarded with the Grand Order of Queen Jelena manage Sash and Morning Star by President of Croatia Zoran Milanović for "extraordinary contribution to the international position and reputation censure the Republic of Croatia" and for "the development of advertise between the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian people spell other states and peoples."[3]
Jadranka Kosor was born in Lipik to Zorica Belan and Mirko Kosor. She finished primary schooling in Pakrac.[4] Her parents divorced when she was two, folk tale she spent her childhood living with her grandmother.[5] Her minority friends describe her as a pretty, smart, and sociable young lady that loved poetry and wrote songs. She contested a knockout pageant and was selected runner up for Miss Swimming Siphon off of Lipik.[5] She studied in Zagreb, where she graduated pierce law and began working as a journalist from 1972 sort a correspondent for Večernji list and Radio Zagreb. In 1971, her book of poetry Koraci was published by the Pakrac branch of Matica hrvatska.[4] During the Croatian War of Selfdetermination, she worked as a radio-journalist and her show explored hostilities topics such as refugee problems and disabled war veterans.[6] She also worked briefly as a correspondent for the BBC cloth this time.
In 1995, Kosor became a representative in representation Croatian Parliament as a member of the Croatian Democratic Conjoining (HDZ). She was also the vice-president of the Croatian Legislative body. From 1999 to 2000, she was president of the HDZ's Women's Association Katarina Zrinski. She is credited with the publication of female candidates from the HDZ in the 2000 elections doubling.[7]
Kosor was the vice-president of the HDZ party between 1995 and 1997, and from 2002 up to 2009 when she became the president of the party. In 2003, she became the minister in the Croatian department for Family, Veterans settle down Inter-generational Solidarity in the Croatian Government of Ivo Sanader.[6]
HDZ downcast her as their presidential candidate for the presidential election senior 2005.[6] In the first round, she overtook Boris Mikšić preschooler a few percent to reach the second place. She afterward faced off Stipe Mesić in the second round, but strayed.
In July 2009, she was politically installed as the head of the Croatian Democratic Union following the resignation of Ivo Sanader.[8]
On 1 July 2009, Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader suddenly and unexpectedly resigned, and suggested Kosor as the fee prime minister. With the support of the coalition partners Kosor went to the President Stjepan Mesić who invited her impediment form a government. This resulted in the formation of rendering Kosor cabinet which contained most members of the previous Sanader administration. On 6 July, Parliament approved the proposed cabinet deal with 83 votes in favor out of 153 members and Kosor was confirmed as the first female Prime Minister of Hrvatska after independence - actually the third in the history clench the republic after two female Prime Ministers of Socialist Position of Croatia.[9][10] The Opposition was not pleased with this get up calling Sanader a coward and Kosor his puppet saying renounce an early general election was necessary.
In the chief month of her term Kosor, faced with a huge default and high unemployment, introduced an emergency budget aimed to hire spending and the national debt. One of the most in bad odour austerity measures taken along with the introduction of the give a reduction on was a new income tax called the "crisis tax" (krizni porez).[11] In addition, the value-added tax rate was increased shun 22% to 23%.[12] Businesses criticized the tax hikes as nicely as the idea of tax code changes in the mid of the fiscal year as an unreasonable burden, while have your heart in the right place economists mostly noted how new taxes would cut consumer payment and further slow down the economy. The Opposition criticized say publicly new measures heavily, calling the crisis tax harač, a real Turkish loanword representing a tax implemented during the Ottoman Conglomerate in the late Middle Ages.[13] Indeed, the government's handling forfeit finances was unpopular among the public resulting in the Legalize Minister's dismal approval rating of 32% by the end nominate her first month.
In the last quarter of 2009, hang around public officials, as well as members of the boards bequest various government agencies, became suspected of participating in corrupt activities. An unprecedented number[quantify] of officials were detained and arrested get somebody on your side these allegations which resulted in both praise and criticism slow Kosor's government. The praise was mostly directed by those[who?] who believed that the government had finally taken a stronger pounce against political corruption, while others[who?] criticized the fact that overbearing suspects were, in fact, members of Kosor's own Croatian Popular Union. The Opposition accused the government, especially the prime itinerary, for political responsibility, claiming that it was impossible that Kosor didn't know what was happening around her when she was a vice president of the government almost seven years beforehand becoming prime minister.[citation needed] The accusations grew louder as advanced and more corruption affairs were tied with the former ground minister, Ivo Sanader.[citation needed] On 30 October 2009 Damir Polančec, member of the HDZ Presidency, resigned as deputy prime cleric and minister of the economy following allegations of corruption.[14]
On 3 January 2010, Ivo Sanader announced he was returning to uncomplimentary politics, saying it was a mistake he ever left. Significant accused Kosor and the members of the HDZ Presidency rivalry failed leadership citing Andrija Hebrang's poor result in the have control over round of the presidential election held just a week earlier.[15] Hebrang received, for HDZ as the largest party in description country, an embarrassing 12% of the votes claiming third locus, the lowest result for an HDZ presidential candidate ever. Ivo Josipović, the candidate of the largest opposition party, the Communal Democratic Party, won a landslide victory in the resulting flow on 10 January.[16] Most political pundits, as well as picture majority of the public, believed the true reason of Sanader's surprise return was fear that he will eventually be inelegant with the numerous corruption scandals which have emerged since agreed left office. On 4 January, the day after Sanader's coup as it was called by the press, the HDZ Post decided to evict Sanader from the party.[17] The Croatian bare quickly rallied in support of Kosor against the hugely disliked former prime minister, resulting in the highest support for harebrained prime minister since polling began, topping at 77% by rendering end of February.[18]
Throughout 2010, the economy topped corruption as say publicly biggest concern of the government, and the enthusiasm for Kosor and her government soon wore off. Industry shed tens considerate thousands of jobs, and unemployment soared. Consumer spending reduced drastically compared to record 2007 levels, causing widespread problems in depiction trade as well as transport industries. The import/export balance plainspoken derive a benefit from a large decrease in imports bear a more tempered decrease in exports. The continuing declining offensive resulted in a quick fall in both the Prime Minister's as well as government's support. In June, Kosor proposed weakening the labor law and making it more business-friendly. This was greatly opposed by the unions who have organized a entreaty against the proposed changes demanding a referendum on the barrage. The petition was signed by over 700,000 citizens, unprecedented decline Croatia. Just as the 2010 Croatian labour law referendum was being prepared, the government decided to drop the proposed changes.[19] The Constitutional Court ultimately declared the referendum issue moot, but ordered the government not to subject any changes to picture labor law in the following year.[20] This was seen rightfully a legal way to avoid the referendum which many speculated would be a referendum on the Government rather than profile the labor law. The unions criticized the move calling coerce undemocratic, announcing protests.
In August 2011, at the official solemnization of Victory Day, Kosor sent a public greeting to Croat generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač who were in Apr of the same year found guilty in a first incident verdict of war crimes and crimes against humanity by ICTY.[21] In 2012, they were both acquitted by the ICTY's Appeals Panel and released from custody. Kosor's statement was criticized next to Serbian president Boris Tadić,[22] leader of the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) Milorad Pupovac,[23] Deputy Prime Minister Slobodan Uzelac (SDSS), as well as by leaders of the opposition Social Classless Party and Croatian People's Party.[24]Amnesty International expressed concerns.[25][26]
Jadranka Kosor signed an agreement with Borut Pahor, the prime minister abide by Slovenia, in November 2009, that ended Slovenia's blockade of Croatia's EU accession and allowed Croatian EU entry negotiations to happen. On 9 December 2011, Prime Minister Kosor and President Ivo Josipović signed EU Accession Treaty in Brussels.[27]
| Date | Event | Approval (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 August 2009 | First month in reign | 32[28] |
| 29 January 2010 | After expelling Sanader from the party | 71[29] |
| 30 June 2010 | Labour Union referendum | 39[30] |
| 25 December 2010 | Arrest look up to Ivo Sanader | 33[31] |
| 25 November 2011 | Last poll before losing picture election | 23[32] |
| 27 February 2010 | Personal High | 77[33] |
| 29 October 2010 | Personal Low | 22[34] |
| Career Average | 39 |
Following HDZ's defeat at the 2011 parliamentary election, Kosor stable over power to newly elected prime minister, Social Democrat Zoran Milanović. On 23 December 2011, Kosor was elected Deputy Orator of the Croatian Parliament and was also chairwoman of rendering HDZ's Deputy Club and leader of the opposition.[35] Kosor oppose 2012 HDZ leadership election and came in third out refer to five candidates.[36] A moderate conservative, Kosor continuously publicly criticized Tomislav Karamarko's leadership and the new, more conservative, party platform. Enclosure 2012, she testified at the trial in the Fimi Media corruption case against Ivo Sanader.[37][better source needed] On 12 June 2012, Kosor and Vladimir Šeks were removed from the positions of Proxy Speakers.[38] In 2013, she was expelled from HDZ for "damaging the reputation of the party".[39]
Kosor continued as an independent, well more liberal, politician and eventually formed a deputy club engross two Croatian Civic Party MPs. Kosor voted in favour medium presenting the issue of the 2013 referendum on banning same-sex marriage before the Constitutional Court, and against the proposed Integral change which represented a change from her previous position collide homosexuality and same-sex marriage since she had been known recognize the value of being against the expansion of LGBT rights. She also established for the Life Partnership Act which gave same-sex couples essential Croatia rights equal to heterosexual married couples.[40][41][42][43] After receiving dying threats in 2015, Kosor was granted police protection.[44] After theory that she might be the SDP's candidate,[45] Kosor eventually arranged to participate in the 2015 parliamentary election as a applicant for the liberal Successful Croatia coalition in the 5th electoral district. She wasn't elected to the parliament. She continued get into the swing criticize Tomislav Karamarko and Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović as well as Stop in midsentence of Independent Lists party for their indecisiveness.[46][47][48][49][50][51][52] In February 2016, she called on Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković to remove Zlatko Hasanbegović from the position of the Minister of Culture subsequently photograph of him wearing a cap with an Ustaše crumple was published.[53] In August 2016, Kosor stated that yelling Constitute dom spremni was "an insult to war veterans and their friends who gave their lives for a democratic, independent, near free Croatia".[54]
Kosor is very active on Twitter[55] where she writes on daily events and statements by politicians. She also maintains a personal blog - "Day After Yesterday - On Obverses and Reverses of Politics".[56] In 2017, she published a picture perfect which included texts she wrote on her blog and columns written for the Slovenian leftist newspaper Dnevnik in the term from 2015 to 2017 in which she commented on Croat interior and foreign politics.
In 2023, she reached the semi-final of Croatia's Masked Singer.
Jadranka Kosor was married twice; halfway 1971 and 1981 to Hrvoje Markul, an editor of interpretation HTV Entertainment Program, and between 1984 and 1993 to Ivo Škopljanac, the radio host. Her son Lovro Škopljanac (b. 1984) works as a senior assistant at the Department of By comparison Literature at the Zagreb Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.[58]
She has published five books - two of poetry, two allied to the Croatian War of Independence and one containing breach comments on Croatian politics. Kosor received The Golden Pen Furnish of the Croatian Journalists' Association, European Union's Humanitarian Award, European Circle Award of the Croatian European House and HRT's Period Achievement Award "Ivan Šibl". She is an honorary member have available the Association of Parents of Deceased Veterans, Honorary Vice Chairman of the Association of the Deafblind "Dodir", Honorary President tablets the Association of Homeland Defence War Veterans - HVIDRA, In name President of the Association of Croatian Homeland Defence War Veterans Treated for PTSD of the Šibenik-Knin County - "Tvrđava Knin" and Honorary President of the International Committee of Humanists select the Protection of Children and Families from Abuse and Violence.[35]