Marina Pendeš

Marina Pendeš (born 20 August 1964) is a Bosnian Croat politician serving as member of the national House of Peoples since 2019. She served as Minister of Defence from 2015 to 2019. Pendeš is a member of the Croatian Democratic Union.

Marina Pendeš
Pendeš in 2016
Member of the House of Peoples
Assumed office
23 December 2019
Minister of Defence
In office
31 March 2015 – 23 December 2019
Prime MinisterDenis Zvizdić
Preceded byZekerijah Osmić
Succeeded bySifet Podžić
Personal details
Born (1964-08-20) 20 August 1964
Travnik, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia
NationalityBosnian Croat
Political partyCroatian Democratic Union
Alma materMilitary Technical Academy, Zagreb

Early life and education

Pendeš was born in Travnik on 20 August 1964. She attended elementary school in Vitez and high school in Travnik. She graduated in electrical engineering from the Military Technical Academy in Zagreb in 1988 after receiving a scholarship from the Yugoslav People's Army.[1]

Career

Pendeš was an independent constructor in the military industry in Travnik from 1988 until 1992,[1] and head of the department of TKC SB in Vitez from 1995 until 2003. She was a member of the Croatian Defence Council and worked in the Military Intelligence Service in Central Bosnia during the Bosnian War.[1][2]

Pendeš is a member of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and was first elected to parliament in 2000.[2][3] She was Minister of Physical Planning, Restructuring and Return for the Central Bosnia Canton from 2003 to 2004. She was the Deputy Minister of Defence from 2004 to 2015 before being appointed Minister of Defence on 31 March 2015.[4][5][6][7] Her term as Minister ended on 23 December 2019.

Pendeš later became a member of the national House of Peoples.

Charges

In July 2015, Pendeš was charged by the State Prosecutor's Office for paying a salary to her advisor Ivo Miro Jović while she was Deputy Minister, despite him not showing up to work. In February 2016, she was acquitted by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina of the charges of careless performance of official duties and forging documents.[8]

References
  1. "Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina". NATO. 5 May 2004. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  2. Milekic, Sven (16 November 2016). "Croatian Minister Visits Bosnia, Defies War Crimes Claim". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  3. "Marina Pendes". Academy for Cultural Diplomacy. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  4. "Marina Pendeš: the Aim of B&H is to Keep the Actual Level of Engagement in the Peacekeeping Missions of the UN". Sarajevo Times. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  5. "Defence Minister Krstičević Cancels Visit to Sarajevo". Independent Balkan News Agency. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  6. Latal, Srecko (1 April 2015). "Bosnia Beats Deadline to Form New Governments". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  7. "Brochure" (PDF). Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2015.
  8. "Marina Pendeš Acquitted". Center for Investigative Reporting. 25 February 2016. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
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