Milan Bandić

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Milan Bandić

Milan Bandić (born 1955 in Donji Mamići near Grude, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Croatian politician, and member of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia. He is the current mayor of Zagreb, currently serving his third term.

1 Political career
2 Health problems
3 Scandals
- 3.1 Cvjetni prolaz
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Political career

Bandić moved to Zagreb and earned his degree at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Zagreb. He became a member of the Communist Party and remained there after the first democratic elections, being one of the few Herzegovina Croats to do so. As such, he proved to be a valuable asset for the reformed Communist party.

Bandić showed great organizational ability and populist instincts, that allowed the SDP to make dramatic advances in Zagreb blue-collar neighborhoods and attract votes that Franjo Tuđman and his HDZ party had considered their own by default. This manifested itself at the 1995 parliamentary and City of Zagreb elections, leading to the Zagreb Crisis.

Milan Bandić was first elected mayor in 2000, and then was re-elected during regular city elections in 2001.

During the first campaign, his Herzegovina background became an issue due to Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) suggesting that only a native citizen of Zagreb could become the city's mayor. The HSS hoped that the majority of Zagreb voters would turn away from Bandić. However, those expectations weren't met, and Bandić later used his Herzegovina background as an advantage, broadening his support among ordinary citizens of Zagreb.

His rapid rise to power and popularity created a backlash, especially among liberal intellectuals gathered around HNS and Vesna Pusić, who don't trust his nationalist populism and his occasional run-ins with courts. Nevertheless, the People's Party ruled Zagreb in coalition with the Social Democrats between 2001 and 2005. However, the party insisted that he resign as mayor for a period after he was involved in an accident (see Scandals section). After his resignation, Vlasta Pavić took over the mayoral position.

Since Zagreb generates more than 30% of Croatia's GDP (as of 2003)^[1], and the city budget exceeds 6.8 billion kuna, Bandić is often perceived as the third most powerful politician in Croatia.

Bandić was re-elected mayor in May 2005.

Following the illness and death of Ivica Račan, Bandić announced his candidacy for SDP leadership. He was planning to resign as mayor afterwards. He was competing against Željka Antunović, Zoran Milanović and Tonino Picula. Zoran Milanović was elected on June 2, 2007 as the new SDP leader while still mayor.^[2]

[edit] Health problems

Bandić often claims to work 15-16 hours a day. However, his health has suffered significantly because of this.^{[citation needed]}

On July 3, 2003, during a session of Zagreb City Council, he started feeling ill, and after the session he requested medical help. The media reported that he had had a minor stroke, but the official explanation was that it was a spasm of a blood vessel in the endocranium as a result of exhaustion and hard work. In interviews Bandić referred to his condition as a stroke. He was hospitalized for a few weeks and then went to Krapinske Toplice to recover. His political career was regarded as finished, but he rapidly recovered and returned to his duties on September 2, 2003.^[3]

[edit] Scandals

While being a respected mayor, Bandić is well known for his scandals, which have caused him to resign at a time and continue to damage his political reputation.^[4]^[5]

In January 2002 Milan Bandić was stopped by Krešimir Mašić, a police officer and accused of drunk driving. Bandić tried to bribe the officer. He was unsuccessful, so he then threatened the officer through his alleged connections with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Croatia. The officer finally turned him in, but lost his job when the media found out about the scandal. Under political pressure, Bandić resigned.^[5]

An incident occurred in April 2004. The mayor at the time, Vlasta Pavić criticized Bandić for having spent 15 million kunas (about US$3.26 million) of city money to buy a lot, which the City of Zagreb couldn't use (the Zagrepčanka case). In response, Bandić cursed her mother.^[5]^[6] Zagrepčanka case ensued with charges on attacking a court of law being brought up against Bandić and others involved.^[7]

Another controversy arose on July 31, 2005. Bandić was on a bus and when he saw workers on the street waving, he allegedly cited the Auschwitz motto: "Work liberates, the Nazis weren't totally dumb."^[8] A Novi list journalist heard Bandić and published his statement. The following day Bandić threatened to sue Novi list and claimed he said "Marxists", not "Nazis".^[9]

In January 2006 Bandić publicly threatened a journalist working for Večernji list. The journalist asked Bandić about an offer from a Czech company, but Bandić replied aggressively, cursing and threatening the journalist. Afterwards he claimed he had simply spoken to the journalist in a high-pitched tone.^[4]

As of October 2007, Bandić is under investigation by the USKOK (State Attorney's Organized Crime and Corruption Office) about several deals he made as the mayor of Zagreb, including exchanging a lot in Maksimirska Street with a lot in Sesvetski Kraljevec in July 2007. The company with whom Bandić concluded this deal was led by inexperienced students, even more deeply extenuating the scandal which arose.^[10]

In May 2008 Bandić left his car incorrectly parked in the middle of Pavao Šubić Avenue presenting a road hazard while he presented a camera system designed to issue tickets to red light runners, improperly parked cars and alike. He also went shopping to the Dolac farmer's market while his driver waited in the car obstructing traffic, which had to drive over tram tracks to bypass his car. When inquired about this incident, Bandić replied it was his driver's fault.^[11]

[edit] Cvjetni prolaz

A recent lengthy affair Bandić has been heavily involved in is the Cvjetni prolaz case, which includes the supposed demolition and/or conversion of historical buildings in the center of the Zagreb downtown into a shopping mall.^[12] The project is led by Tomislav Horvatinčić, a construction entrepreneur, who is allegedly responsible for using illegal means to try to evict the current dwellers. These include some possessions of Zagreb eparchy of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the home of the late poet Vladimir Vidrić. Bandić is known to be a strong supporter of Horvatinčić^[13], making overt statements in favor of Horvatinčić's investment, and publicly insulting opponents of the project.^[14]