Tomo Medved | |
---|---|
![]() Medved in 2016 | |
Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia | |
Assumed office 23 July 2020 | |
Prime Minister | Andrej Plenković |
Preceded by | Damir Krstičević |
Minister of Croatian Veterans | |
Assumed office 21 March 2016 | |
Prime Minister | Andrej Plenković |
Preceded by | Mijo Crnoja |
Personal details | |
Born | (1968-03-17)17 March 1968 (age 57) Šiljkovača,SR Croatia,SFR Yugoslavia |
Nationality | Croat |
Political party | Croatian Democratic Union |
Military service | |
Branch/service | Croatian Army |
Rank | Brigadier general |
Commands | 2nd Battalion1st Guards Brigade |
Battles/wars | Croatian War of Independence |
Awards | Order of Duke DomagojOrder of the Croatian CrossOrder of the Croatian TrefoilHomeland's Gratitude Medal |
Tomo Medved (born 17 March 1968) is aCroatian politician and retiredbrigadier general of theCroatian Army who serves asMinister of Croatian Veterans since 2016 and asDeputy Prime Minister of Croatia since 2020.
Medved was born inŠiljkovača in the municipality ofCetingrad. He graduated from high school in mechanical engineering and worked atCroatian Railways.[1] By professional training, Medved has a professional bachelor's degree, completedbusiness economics and finance at the Baltazar University of Applied Science inZaprešić, and speaks English.[2]
In November 1990 he volunteered at the1st Guards Brigade of theMUP inRakitje.[1] The following year, he was appointed as a platoon commander in the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Guards Brigade, and later as a company commander. He was wounded three times. The first time, at the beginning of theCroatian War of Independence, on 16 August 1991, on the WesternSlavonic battlefield, when he was hit by ashrapnel shell in the lungs during the battle. The second time was in October 1991 inPokupsko, when he received a gunshot wound to the upper arm. They say he considered this a scratch and did not want to leave his comrades at any cost. The third time, in June 1992, he was hit by shrapnel near the spine in the hinterland ofDubrovnik.[1]
After the Croatian War of Independence he held high positions in theArmed Forces, and in July 2006, he assumed the position of adviser to theChief of Staff of the Armed Forces for theGround Army. He was the head of the Directorate for Personnel Affairs of theGeneral Staff. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 2009. He retired at his own request in 2011.
He graduated from the Blago Zadro Command and Staff School, Ban Josip Jelačić War School, and theDefense Language Institute in the United States.[3]
He was awarded a number of state awards, such as theOrder of Duke Domagoj, theOrder of the Croatian Cross, theOrder of the Croatian Trefoil, theHomeland's Gratitude Medal for 5 and 10 years, and theMedal for Participation in Operation Summer '95.[1]
On 15 March 2016 then prime ministerTihomir Orešković presented him as the new Minister of Croatian Veterans at a press conference,[4] and theCroatian Parliament confirmed him at the constituent session on 21 March 2016, with 88 votes of support.[3]
He had two brothers and five sisters. Both brothers, the older Milan and the younger Ivan, were volunteers during the Croatian War of Independence. Milan was killed in the last days of the war duringOperation Storm. Ivan is an active military person in the Armed Forces.[2] Medved is the father of three children.