Bernardica Juretić

Bernardica Juretić
Minister of Social Policy and Youth
In office
22 January 2016 – 19 October 2016
President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović
Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković
Preceded by Milanka Opačić
Succeeded by Nada Murganić
Personal details
Born (1963-08-18) 18 August 1963
Srijane, SFR Yugoslavia
(now Croatia)
Nationality Croat
Political party Croatian Democratic Union (2016-)[1]
Spouse(s) Vlado Rožman (m. 2016)
Alma mater Salesian Pontifical University
Religion Roman Catholic

Bernardica Juretić (born 18 August 1963) is a former Croatian Catholic nun and psychologist who served as the Minister of Social Policy and Youth in the Cabinet of Tihomir Orešković from January 22, 2016 until its dissolution and appointment of the new government in September 2016.[2]

Early life and education

Bernardica Juretić was born on August 18, 1963 in small village of Srijane near Omiš. She finished "23 Maj" elementary school in her hometown in 1978, after which she enrolled in Dubrovnik Nursing high school from which she graduated in 1982. In 1984, at the age of 21, she became a nun by joining the Italian Ancelle Della Carita' order. She eventually left order in 1990 at the age of 27 due to many other obligations that she had around taking care of drug addicts.[3] Juretić continued her education at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome from which she graduated in 1988 in psychology with thesis The purpose of human suffering in the wake of [Viktor] Frankl's logotherapy. She gained her masters degree in 1990 with thesis AIDS patients from a psychological point of view at the same University. She enrolled in a doctoral studies in 1995.[4][5]

Career

Bernardica Juretić worked as a nurse in Caritas Elderly People's Home in Freyung, Germany (1984–1986). In 1990 she founded Zajednica susret, first non-governmental humanitarian organization for the prevention of drug abuse and treatment of drug addicts in the former SFR Yugoslavia.[6] From 1992 until 1996, Juretić opened three therapeutic communities in Paučje, Ivanovac, and Čiovo, as well as three advisory centers. In 1991, Juretić was appointed as a member of the National Committee for the fight against drug addiction of the Croatian Government. In 1994, she became National Coordinator of NGOs in the field of prevention and treatment of drug addictions. In 2000, Juretić opened therapeutic community for the treatment of drug addicts in Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina. From 2001 until 2003, Juretić served as a Head of the Therapeutic Center Čiovo that she founded. In 2002, she became President of the Expert Council of the Croatian Government for combating narcotic drug abuse, and in 2003 Head of the Office of the Croatian Government for combating drug abuse. She served on this position until 2008. In 2004, she became lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy of the School of Health Studies. From 2008 until 2011, Juretić served as assistant director and Head of the Human Resources Management of Institut IGH. In 2012, she was named external member of the Board of Health and Social Affairs of the Croatian Parliament, and director of "Zajednica susret". On January 22, 2016, Juretić become Minister of Social Policy and Youth.[7][8] When confronted with allegations of the conflict of interest in June 2016, after it surfaced that she had allotted a significant portion of state budget funds to NGO "Susret", an organisation which she personally founded and operated prior to her appointment as minister in Orešković's cabinet, Juretić infamously retorted to gathered press reporters "Let them drop dead", apparently alluding at her critics and whistle-blowers.[9]

Personal life

Juretić married Croatian entrepreneur Vlado Rožman in April 2016.[10][11] Couple doesn't have children. Juretić stated that she once thought about adopting a child, but that she eventually gave up because she believes that "every child needs mother and father, even if they eventually get divorced".[12]

Juretić is a devoted Roman Catholic. Day before becoming a minister, Juretić wrote post on Facebook in which she thanked her friends for their congratulations, and urged those who are believers to pray for her and the whole Government for the Holy Spirit to enlighten them so they could work only for the glory of God.[13] On February 5, 2016, Juretić gave an interview for RTL Televizija in which she stated, among other, that "only the power of God and His help can get us out [of these problems]. Of course, with our effort, but surely we cannot do that alone." She refuses to talk about abortion, artificial insemination and the Life Partnership Act for same-sex couples because she considers those questions to be ideological.[14]

She speaks Croatian, German, Italian, English, Spanish and Portuguese fluently.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/bernardica-juretic-i-josip-buljevic-ulaze-u-hdz/33508/
  2. ↑ "Ministrica - Ministarstvo socijalne politike i mladih". Mspm.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  3. ↑ "Šest stvari koje trebate znati o bivšoj časnoj sestri i novoj ministrici socijalne politike Bernardici Juretić –". Telegram.hr. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  4. ↑ "Bernardica Juretić: biografija nove ministrice socijalne politike i mladih". Dnevnik.hr. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  5. ↑ "BERNARDICA JURETIĆ, BIVŠA ČASNA SESTRA, A SADA MINISTRICA SOCIJLANE SKRBI 'Sad kreće moja najveća bitka za istinsku socijalnu državu'". Jutarnji.hr. 2016-01-24. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  6. ↑ "Osnivači udruge - Zajednica Susret". Zajednica-susret.hr. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  7. ↑ "Ministrica - Ministarstvo socijalne politike i mladih" (in Croatian). Mspm.hr. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  8. ↑ "HPD | Prijelomna vijest: Bernardica Juretić - ministrica socijalne politike i mladih". Psihologija.hr. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  9. ↑ "MINISTRICA BERNARDICA JURETIĆ NAKON SJEDNICE VLADE: 'Nek' crknu!'" (in Croatian). Net.hr. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  10. ↑ Marija Lokas. "Prvi brak u novoj Vladi: udala se Bernardica Juretić". Jutarnji.hr. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  11. ↑ "Udala se Bernardica | N1 HR". Hr.n1info.com. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  12. ↑ "Potpuna suprotnost Opačićki: "Sestra Bernardica" sama ne bi posvojila dijete, a pomogla je mnogima - Vijesti". Index.hr. 2016-01-21. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  13. ↑ "Bernardica Juretić: Neka nas Duh sv. prosvijetli da radimo samo na slavu Božju | N1 HR". Hr.n1info.com. 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  14. ↑ "Ministrica Juretić pozvala ljude da mole: Samo nas Bog može izvući, sami ne možemo nikako - Vijesti". Index.hr. 2016-02-05. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
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