Croatian Parliament, MP, chair of the Committee on Agriculture
Born in 1975 in Kutina, Croatia. Graduated in biology and ecology at the University Of Zagreb Faculty Of Science and in theology with master’s degree at the University Of Zagreb Catholic Faculty Of Theology.
Marijana Petir (independent) is a member of the Croatian Parliament. She is the chair of the Committee on Agriculture, the head of the Croatia-Israel Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group and a member of the Committee on European Affairs and the Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation.
Served two mandates as the Member of the Croatian Parliament (2002-2003, 2007-2011). Acted as the Chairperson of the Croatian Parliament’s Deputy Club of the Croatian Peasant Party and as the Chairperson of the Committee for Environmental Protection.
Served one mandate (2014-2019) as the Croatian member of the European Parliament (EPP group) and member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality and as a substitute in Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
Marijana Petir is the recipient of MEP Award (EU Oscar) for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, presented by The Parliament Magazine. She received Award for her dedicated work aimed at protecting Pakistani Christians presented by Christian Democratic Party (Pakistan). As the first Member of the European Parliament, Marijana Petir received in Washington the UMD Macedonia Friendship Award by United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD).
Active in civil society, leader and spokesperson of the anti-nuclear campaign in Croatia which prevented construction of the nuclear waste disposal in the Moslavina region and of the campaign which resulted in declaring Croatia as GMO free country. In her political and public work committed to development of rural areas and of family farms as well as to protection of traditional, Christian and universal human values.
She is a volunteer firefighter, hikes in her free time, loves to cook and walked the 900 km long road of St. James – Camino, from Irun to Santiago de Compostela.
Views on Smart Villages and the EU’s Long Term Vision for Rural Areas:
Smart villages are there to ensure equal opportunities for developing business, to promote self-employment, to ensure social and care services. They could achieve this goal through traditional and new networks and services enhanced by means of digital telecommunication technologies, innovations and a better use of knowledge. Smart villages take care of all generations and their needs.