By Josip Bogovic
All careers have their challenges, but a political one has multidimensional obstacles due to the nature of the community. People with their particular views, ambitions, and needs almost always clash with authority figures. Tulio Demetlika’s political life began just after college graduation and at the beginning of the Croatian State in 1991. He joined and was an active member of the IDS (Istarska Demokratska Stranka) Party. In his 34-year political career, he has held various positions, including major of Labin for 15 years, a 6-year stint as a representative for the IDS in the Croatian Senate (2015), and for the past five years as the second man in charge of Istra’s political affairs (Zastupnik Istarske Zupanije). “When I first joined IDS, our group felt that we were on a mission to make Istra better for everyone.
My first mandate was being elected Mayor of Labin. This was my first political schooling. It was like finishing college again. I learned a lot. One sees that to have a successful political career, one needs to assemble a good team of people who will assist in making things happen. A major also has to trust in the people he helps to govern as well as his team; the truth about an elected position is that you can do 9 good things and one bad thing and that one bad decision can be very costly; people do not forget, corruption or something destructive is usually not redeemable in the political life. Trust in leadership can be lost easily. Major decisions are tricky; your own people can go against you because of self-interest and the like. If you are a person who feels well, the feeling is not a good one in those cases. Politics is similar to a business partnership; things can go wrong fast. A political person should keep in mind that a good reputation does go a long way in a community. One has a four-year mandate, and then the election faces off once again. A political person should understand that one day, it all comes to an end. Thus, you go down the exact steps you’ve gone up. As my mom said, one day, you have to face the folks who are climbing up as you’re climbing down. So far, no one has thrown eggs at me; this is my satisfaction,” said the well-spoken gentleman who chooses his words carefully.
There are 21 regions (zupanije) in Croatia, including Istra. Thus, a region faces struggles concerning the federal or central government.
“IDS had to negotiate with President Tudman that the nation’s coat of arms be placed on our industrious goat, and we had to include Italian as a second language for our region since a minority of people in Istra speak Italian as a first language. It is important to me to promote the different specifics of our Zupanija (region). Those cultural specifics are an economic benefit for Istra. When you hear of Istarski prsut (persuto), tartufi, the coliseum, etc. you associate those rightfully with Istra. In the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, Istra experienced an influx of people from Bosnia and other regions of Croatia; thus, we bridged east and west. However, I want the historical traditions of Istra to continue, including music and folk dance, which is one of my goals. I’m also proud that our coalition has started a Fund for Agriculture, where farmers can borrow money at a very low interest rate. If the typical loan rate is at 10 percent, the fund loans the money at 2 percent. I’m now approaching the end of my career; the times are different, and the flow of activities is changing. It is more challenging for me to get into the new flow. I believe that in politics, one should fight for the greater community; I like to support people who share this view.
I would advise the upcoming generation not to look for a problem within a problem but to look for a solution. Offer the possibility to capable people to succeed. I never liked people with bad intentions; I’m not for that kind of individual. As the mayor of Labin from 1995 to 2000, we had an unemployment rate of 24 percent. My job was to resolve the problem, so I helped bring in companies to alleviate the issue. So, you see, some would say the major got paid off to bring in this company or that one; you see, the equation is a difficult one. On one hand, you’re trying to solve a problem; on the other, some think you are taking bribes. So, what to do, you have to trust in your own truth.”
As one can conclude from this brief interview with Tulio Demetlika, human nature is complex and challenging to satisfy. In politics, Tulio has found himself in a damned-if-you-do and damned-if-you-don’t situation, a difficult place from which to satisfy all constituents. Mr. Demetlika was able to weather the storms, and that is an accomplishment that has many dimensions. In politics, transparency and clear communication are crucial factors in dispelling myths, untruths, and misinformation. As I told Obersel, the major of Rijeka once. Create your own website and share with the public what’s happening in Rijeka every week so that we, the public, and you, the public servant, can better understand the issues, problems, and potential solutions. As my boss instructed me and others, please provide a log of what you have done in your job today. I considered the move on her part as a sort of checkmate, a place from which there was not much room to wiggle. Of course, I didn’t like it, but I understood the point.
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