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Bernardica JureticCroatian psychologist, humanitarian
Date of Birth: 18.08.1963
Country:  Croatia |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Born on August 18, 1963, in the small Dalmatian village of Srjane near Omiš, Bernarda Juretić received her primary education at the "23rd of May" elementary school in her hometown. In 1978, she enrolled in a medical school in Dubrovnik, graduating in 1982.
At the age of 21, Juretić became a nun of the Italian order "Ancelle Della Carità." However, in 1990, she left the order to pursue other commitments, particularly in caring for drug addicts.
Juretić's education continued at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, where she earned a bachelor's degree in psychology in 1988 with a thesis on "The Meaning of Human Suffering in Light of Frankl's Logotherapy." In 1990, she obtained a master's degree from the same university, focusing on "AIDS Patients from a Psychological Perspective." Subsequently, she enrolled in a doctoral program.
Humanitarian Career
From 1984 to 1986, Juretić worked as a nurse in a nursing home in Freising, Germany. In 1990, she founded "Zajednica susret," the first non-governmental humanitarian organization in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia dedicated to drug prevention and treatment.
During the 1990s, Juretić established three psychotherapy clinics and three consultation centers in Croatia. She also became a member of the Croatian government's National Committee for Combating Drug Addiction in 1991 and the national coordinator of NGOs for drug prevention and treatment in 1994.
Government Roles
In 2002, Juretić became the chairperson of the expert council of the Croatian government's Anti-Drug Abuse Office. She subsequently led the office from 2003 to 2008. From 2004 onward, she also taught at the Department of Occupational Health at the Faculty of Social Medicine.
Following her work as an assistant director and head of human resources at "Institut IGH d.d." from 2008 to 2011, Juretić was appointed as an external member of the Croatian Parliament's Council for Health and Social Welfare in 2012.
On January 22, 2016, Juretić became the Minister of Social Policy and Youth in the center-right government of Tihomir Orešković.
Personal Life and Beliefs
Juretić married the Croatian entrepreneur Vlado Rožman in April 2016. She has expressed a desire to adopt a child in the past but ultimately decided against it, believing that "every child needs both a mother and a father, even if they are permanently separated."
A devout Roman Catholic, Juretić has publicly shared her faith and sought spiritual guidance for her political work. She has declined to comment on issues such as abortion, artificial insemination, and same-sex marriage laws in Croatia, citing ideological considerations.
