Juraj Njavro

Juraj Njavro (July 21938–September 152008) was a Croatian medical doctor and politician.

Njavro was born in Cerovica, near Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina in the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He attended elementary school here and gymnasium in Dubrovnik, Croatia. [http://www.24sata.hr/news/clanak/umro-juraj-njavro-70-heroj-vukovarske-bolnice-/80013/?context=naslovnica&web_page_id=main_page Juraj Njavro (70) has died, hero of the Vukovar hospital] ]

He served as a surgeon Vukovar's hospital during the city's intense siege within the Croatian War of Independence. [http://www.vecernji.hr/newsroom/news/croatia/3166252/index.do Juraj Njavro has died] ] He continued to work in the hospital right up until the fall of the city to Serb forces. [ [http://daily.tportal.hr/article.aspx?aID=3809&kID=1 Former minister, MP Juraj Njavro dies] ] Njavro was subsequently imprisoned and taken to the Sremska Mitrovica camp in Serbia. In late 1991 Njavro was released as part of a prisoner exchange.

He took part in Croatia's first post-independence parliamentary elections in 1992 and was elected as a member of the Croatian Democratic Union. From August 12, 1992 to October 12, 1993 he served as Croatia's Minister of Health. [ [http://www.hidra.hr/rh/rh64.htm Fourth Government of Croatia] ] He served as a minister without portfolio from October 12, 1993 to November 7, 1995, won reelection in 1995, and served again without portfolio from November 13, 1996 to December 19, 1997. [ [http://www.hidra.hr/rh/rh65.htm Fifth Government of Croatia] ] [http://www.hidra.hr/rh/rh66.htm Sixth Government of Croatia] ] From December 19, 1997 to January 27, 2000 he served as Minister of Defenders from the Homeland War. He was reelected again in 2000 and retired in 2003. [http://www.vecernji.hr/newsroom/news/croatia/3167023/index.do Dr. Vesna Bosanac: dr. Njavro was a special doctor, man and humanist] ]

Njavro wrote a book about his internment during the war entitled "Glava dolje, ruke na leđa". After his retirement he served as the president of the Association of Croatian volunteer doctors 1990-1991.

He died on September 15, 2008 in Zagreb and was buried in the city's Mirogoj Cemetery. [ [http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Novosti/Hrvatska/Hrvatska/tabid/66/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/22839/Default.aspx The legendary doctor of Vukovar Juraj Njavro was buried in Mirogoj] ]

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