Ljerka Mintas-Hodak facts for kids

Ljerka Mintas-Hodak, born on January 26, 1952, is a Croatian politician and lawyer. She served as a Deputy Prime Minister and was the first Minister of European Integration. After her time in government, she helped start the Zagreb School of Economics and Management. She also manages a special foundation named after her daughter.

Early Life and Education

Ljerka Mintas was born in Zagreb, which was then part of Yugoslavia. Her father, Vladimir, was an apprentice, and her mother, Draga, was a kindergarten teacher. She went to elementary school and then to the Classical Gymnasium in Zagreb.

During her student years, Ljerka was part of a movement called the Croatian Spring. This was a time when people in Croatia wanted more freedom and rights. She worked with the Croatian Students' Union on international relations. After this period, she faced some difficulties and spent a short time in a correctional facility. This experience had a big impact on her.

In 1975, she finished her law degree at the University of Zagreb. She then started working as a lawyer. In 1980, she began research at the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences. She earned her Master of Science degree that same year.

Family and Further Studies

In 1981, Ljerka married Zvonimir Hodak, who was also a lawyer. They later had one child together. While continuing her research, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak earned her doctorate in Maritime Law in 1989. This is a special type of law about ships and the sea.

In 1991, she became one of the first members of the Croatian Maritime Law Association. She served as its first vice president, helping to shape laws about the sea in Croatia.

Political Career

In 1991, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak joined the Croatian Social Liberal Party. She became an advisor on maritime law to President Franjo Tuđman. Soon after, she was chosen to lead the European Community Monitoring Mission in Croatia. This mission helped observe the situation in Croatia.

In 1992, she joined a different political party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). She was appointed assistant minister for Maritime Affairs, Transport, and Communications. This role involved managing things like shipping and roads.

Serving in Government

In 1995, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak became a Deputy Prime Minister in the government of Prime Minister Zlatko Mateša. She was in charge of internal and social affairs.

In 1998, a new government department was created: the Ministry for European Integration. Ljerka Mintas-Hodak was appointed its first minister. Her job was to help Croatia prepare to join the European Union. Within a year, her ministry developed a plan for this.

The plan covered many important areas. It looked at human rights in Croatia and what the EU expected. This included fair voting rights, how refugees and minorities were treated, and changes to the economy and laws. It also covered cooperation with the international court in The Hague. Ljerka Mintas-Hodak edited the final document, called Plan of Integration Activities.

From 2000 to 2003, she served as a Member of Parliament. She later left the HDZ party because she disagreed with some of its policies.

Later Political Role

In the 2017 Zagreb local elections, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak was elected to the Zagreb City Assembly. This is like the city council for Zagreb. She was a candidate for the Bandić Milan 365 party.

Life After Government

During her time in government, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak wrote many papers on maritime law. In 2002, she started planning her retirement from government service. That same year, she helped establish the Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZŠEM).

She left government in 2003 and became a lecturer at ZŠEM. She also returned to writing and published two textbooks.

Ivana Hodak Foundation

After a sad event in her family in 2008, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak created the Ivana Hodak Foundation. This foundation is named in memory of her daughter. It provides scholarships for young people who want to study law or economics. The foundation also helps orphans in several African countries, including Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.