Milanka Opačić | |
---|---|
Minister of Social Policy and Youth | |
In office 23 December 2011 – 22 January 2016 |
|
Prime Minister | Zoran Milanović |
Preceded by | Darko Milinović (Health and Social Welfare) |
Succeeded by | Bernardica Juretić |
Personal details | |
Born |
Zagreb, Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia |
17 April 1968
Political party | Social Democratic Party |
Milanka Opačić (pronounced [mǐlaːŋka ǒpatʃitɕ]; born 17 April 1968) is a Croatian politician who served as a Minister of Social Welfare and Youth at centre-left Cabinet of Zoran Milanović from 2011 to 2016. She served as one of four vice-presidents of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia, the main centre-left political party in the Croatian Parliament. She was first elected to Parliament in 1992 parliamentary election, and was reelected in 2000, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2016. She currently serves as Vice president of the Croatian Parliament.
Opačić was born in Zagreb, Croatia, then part of Yugoslavia, where she attended elementary and secondary school. In 1990, inspired by Ivica Račan, she became a member of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia. She studied political science at the University of Zagreb, graduating in 1991. In 1992, Opačić became the party's vice-president and entered the Parliament of Croatia as a representative of the Serbs of Croatia. She was re-elected to the Parliament in 2000, 2003 and 2007. She is one of the closest associates of Prime Minister Zoran Milanović.