Milan Bandić, Zagreb Mayor, dies suddenly aged 65

ZAGREB, 28 February 2021 – The Mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandić, has died suddenly in the Croatian capital in the early hours on Sunday after suffering a heart attack.

Bandić was 65 years of age. 

“In deep sorrow, we inform our fellow citizens, associates, friends, the Zagreb and Croatian public that suddenly, today, February 28, in his 66th year, the Mayor of the City of Zagreb, Mr. Milan Bandić, died of a heart attack.

He lived for his city, for the people of Zagreb who were in the first place in everything he did, for a job that he performed with love and energy, bringing in his whole self – he performed this for 21 years.

We will inform the public about the details, the date of the funeral, the holding of the commemorative gathering, as well as other information related to this sad news,” Grad Zagreb said in a statement. 

Bandić was born in the small hamlet of Bandića Brig, a part of Cerov Dolac in the municipality of Grude, Bosnia and Herzegovina. After high school and elementary school in Grude, he went on to study in Zagreb and graduated from the Faculty of Political Science.

In addition to his studies, he also worked unloading sugar and coal and plastering the facades of city buildings. After college, he served his military service and then got a job at Ledo in Zagreb.

Bandić entered politics in 1993 and between 1995 and 2000 he was a councillor in the Zagreb City Assembly and a member of parliament from 2000, when he was first elected mayor of Zagreb.

He served six terms as mayor of Zagreb, from 2000 to 2002 and from 2005 until his death. In 2010, Bandić ran in the Croatian presidential election and lost to Ivo Josipović.

Bandić left behind wife Vesna and their one daughter.

Deputy mayor Jelena Pavičić Vukičević to run city until local elections

Deputy Mayor Jelena Pavičić Vukićević will run Zagreb until local elections in May. She is the vice president of the Bandić Milan 365 – Labour and Solidarity Party.