New Croatian president: legal expert, classical music composer and genuinely pro-Western

Law and music on hold: Josipovic now heads Croatia

ZAGREB, Croatia — For years, Ivo Josipovic was immersed in legal clauses and notes. He will have to put that world on hold now and get onto political pursuits, becoming Croatia’s new president.

The 52-year old law expert and classical music composer won Sunday’s runoff presidential vote in this former Yugoslav country, beating popular Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic.

New to the higher echelons of political powers, Josipovic’s background is clean — a bonus in the eyes of Croats tired of the same political figures usually tainted by past affairs and intrigues. His rational and conciliatory behavior is a rarity in the Balkans, used to authoritative leaders.

His opponents suggest his calmness is a sign of weakness, asserting he lacks the charisma required for a leader. His supporters say his placidity is his strength.

After the results were announced early Monday, he compared his election to a “victorious symphony.” Thanking voters, he said Croatia “will finally be a home of all honest people.”

Josipovic’s victory is also a plus for his Social Democratic party, who have been in power only between 2000-2003 since Croatia gained independence from what used to be Yugoslavia in 1991.

Josipovic is nonetheless expected to get along well with Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor’s government. Both say they want to root out corruption and carry out other reforms to make Croatia the 28th member of the European Union by 2012.

He likely will remain critical of the Cabinet’s work — but given his decent manners and readiness to seek agreements, he’s not expected to clash with it.

While the president’s role is fairly limited, he has an imprint on foreign policy, and is considered the countries highest moral authority.

Born on Aug. 28, 1957 in Zagreb, Josipovic joined the Social Democrats — then still the communists — in the 1880’s and helped transform them into a European-style leftists. But he left them in 1994 to devote his life to law and music.

He taught international law at the Zagreb Law Faculty and headed his country’s Composers’ Association.

As an independent expert, he was hired by the government to draft the law on Croatia’s cooperation with the U.N. war crimes court — one of the key conditions for Croatia’s entry into the EU. The court has convicted several Croats of war crimes and currently is trying three former generals.

In 2003, Josipovic became a lawmaker, as an independent listed on election list of the Social Democrats. He formally rejoined the party two years ago.

Gray-haired and bespectacled, Josipovic usually appears in light blue shirts and gray suits that underscore his laid back image. He says he decided to run because he “couldn’t bear the injustice that has been done to the people of Croatia for years.”

“I am aware of presidential responsibilities,” he said once. “With my own example, I want to inspire decisiveness, optimism and civic courage of Croatian people to change our society and make it a better one.”

Old passions die hard, however: Josipovic reportedly plans to use his spare time in office to compose his first opera, on the life and music of John Lennon.