Ambassador Neven Jurica

Croatian Ambassador appointed to the United States of America

Neven Jurica, appointed Ambassador, was endorsed as Croatia’s Ambassador to the United States by Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on June 23, 2004. 

Ambassador Jurica prior to his appointment served as a member of the Croatian Parliament and Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

After serving as Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand (1992-1995), he served as ambassador to Bulgaria (1996-1997) and Norway (1998-2000).  In the Government of the Republic of Croatia, he was the spokesman of the government (1997-1998). 

In the first democratic elections in Croatia in 1990, Ambassador Jurica was elected to the Croatian Parliament, and served as chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee (1990-1992).  A founding member of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in 1989, he also served as Political Secretary of the HDZ (1989-1992 & 2000-2004). 

As a professional writer (1980-1989), Ambassador Jurica has published more than 16 books in the field of literary theory, criticism, and anthologies of essays and poetry.  He also directed the prestigious literary forum “Literary Friday” during this period.  He is a member of the Croatian Writers’ Association and PEN, and is fluent in English and French. 

Educated in Dubrovnik and Zagreb, Ambassador Jurica earned a degree in comparative literature and philosophy from the Faculty of Arts and Letters at the University of Zagreb.  He also received a masters degree in literary theory from the University of Zagreb.

Ambassador Jurica is married with two children.