{{Short description|Croatian politician (1962–2024)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Predrag Fred Matić | image = 1718810219115 20240619 MATIC Fred HR 006.jpg | caption = | office = [[Member of the European Parliament]] for [[Croatia (European Parliament constituency)|Croatia]] | birth_date = {{Birth date|1962|6|2|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Požega, Croatia|Slavonska Požega]], [[Socialist Republic of Croatia|PR Croatia]], [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|FPR Yugoslavia]] (modern [[Croatia]]) | death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|8|23|1962|6|2|df=yes}} | death_place = [[Zagreb]], Croatia | spouse = {{marriage|Svetlana Patković<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pavelić |first1=Boris |title=PREDRAG FRED MATIĆ Jedini sam zastupnik u Europskom parlamentu koji je bio zatočenik konc-logora |url=https://www.novilist.hr/novosti/hrvatska/predrag-fred-matic-jedini-sam-zastupnik-u-europskom-parlamentu-koji-je-bio-zatocenik-konc-logora/ |website=Novi list |access-date=25 June 2021 |language=hr |date=3 June 2019}}</ref>|1999}} | children = 1 | term_start = 2 July 2019 | term_end = 23 August 2024 | office1 = Member of the [[Croatian Parliament]] for the [[Croatian Parliament electoral districts|5th]] electoral district | office2 = Chairman of [[South-East European Cooperation Process|SEECP]] | term_start2 = 2016 | term_end2 = 2017 | term_start1 = 28 December 2015 | term_end1 = 2 July 2019 | office3 = [[Ministry of Croatian Veterans|Minister of Veterans' Affairs]] | prime_minister3 = [[Zoran Milanović]] | term_start3 = 23 December 2011 | term_end3 = 22 January 2016 | predecessor3 = Tomislav Ivić | successor3 = Mijo Crnoja | office4 = [[President of Croatia|Advisor to the President of Croatia]] | president4 = [[Ivo Josipović]] | term_start4 = 19 February 2010 | term_end4 = 23 December 2011 | allegiance = {{flag|Croatia}} | branch = [[File:Seal of the Armed Forces of Croatia.png|25px]] [[Croatian Army]] | service_years = 1991 - 1998 | battles = [[Croatian War of Independence]] *[[Battle of Vukovar]] *[[Operation Flash]] *[[Operation Storm]] | rank = [[File:Brigadir.jpg|25px]] [[Brigadier]] | awards = {{plainlist| *{{flagicon image|Ribbon of an Order of Duke Domagoj.png}} [[Order of Duke Domagoj]] *{{flagicon image|Ribbon of an Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski.png}} [[Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski]] *{{flagicon image|Ribbon of an Order of the Croatian Cross.png}} [[Order of the Croatian Cross]] *{{flagicon image|Ribbon of an Order of the Croatian Trefoil.png}} [[Order of the Croatian Trefoil]] *{{flagicon image|Ribbon of an Order of the Croatian Wattle.png}} [[Order of the Croatian Interlace]] *{{flagicon image|Ribbon of a Commemorative Medal of the Homeland's Gratitude.png}} [[Homeland's Gratitude Medal]] *{{flagicon image|Ribbon of a Commemorative Medal of the Homeland War.png}} [[Homeland War Memorial Medal]]}} | party = '''''{{flag|Croatia|name=Croatian}}'''''<br>[[Social Democratic Party (Croatia)|Social Democratic Party of Croatia]]<br>'''''{{flag|EU}}'''''<br>[[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|S&D]] | alma_mater = [[University of Osijek]] }}
'''Predrag Fred Matić''' (2 June 1962 – 23 August 2024) was a Croatian [[Centre-left politics|centre-left]] politician of the [[Social Democratic Party (Croatia)|Social Democratic Party]] who served as a [[Member of European Parliament]] from 2019 to his death. He previously served as [[Ministry of Croatian Veterans|Minister of Veterans' Affairs]] from 2011 to 2016, in the [[Cabinet of Zoran Milanović]].
==Early life== Matić was born in [[Požega, Croatia]] on 2 June 1962.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zastupnik data 84 {{!}} Croatian Parliament |url=https://sabor.hr/en/members-parliament/matic-predrag-8-term |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250620232607/https://sabor.hr/en/members-parliament/matic-predrag-8-term |archive-date=20 June 2025 |access-date=17 October 2025 |website=Croatian Parliament |language=hr-HR}}</ref> He attended [[University of Osijek]] from which he graduated with a B.A. in [[education]].<ref name=sabor>{{cite web|url=https://www.sabor.hr/en/members-parliament/matic-predrag-8-term|title=Predrag Matić|publisher=Croatian Parliament|access-date=12 September 2019}}</ref>
==Military career== During the summer of 1991, Matić served in [[Croatian Armed Forces]] as one of the defenders of Trpinjska Street in [[Vukovar]], during the [[Battle of Vukovar]]. He was captured in November 1991 and throughout nine months was exposed to almost daily torture in Serbian concentration camps, including in the [[Stajićevo camp]]. In summer 1992 he was released,<ref name=nacional>{{cite news|url=http://arhiva.nacional.hr/clanak/81101/predrag-matic-heroj-vukovara-u-predsjednickim-dvorima|title=Predrag Matić: heroj Vukovara u predsjedničkim dvorima|language=hr|work=[[Nacional (weekly)|Nacional]]|date=4 June 2010}}</ref> and for his bravery and heroism was awarded with numerous medals and military decorations, followed by a discharge with a rank of brigadier of [[Croatian Army]].<ref name=sdp>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdp.hr/clan/predrag-fred-matic/|title=Predrag Fred Matić|publisher=SDP|language=hr|access-date=12 September 2019}}</ref>
==Political career== ===Career in national politics=== After the war, Matić worked in the Cabinet of the [[Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia]] and held the post of Chief and Spokesman of General Affairs at its Office from 1994 to 1998. From 1998 to 2000, he was the head of the [[Ministry of Croatian Veterans]] and from 2004 to 2005 served as an advisor to [[Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia|Deputy Prime Minister]] [[Jadranka Kosor]].<ref name=nacional/>
From 2008 to 2009, Matić served as a member of [[Croatian Parliament]] and until 2010 served as a member of the management board of Croatian Transparency. From 2010 to 2011<ref name=sdp/> he served as Special Advisor to the [[President of Croatia]] [[Ivo Josipović]].<ref name=nacional/> Following it, he assumed the role of [[Ministry of Veterans' Affairs (Croatia)|Minister of Veterans' Affairs]] on which he remained until 2016, and same year served as a member of the SDP General Board.<ref name=sdp/>
On 28 December 2015, Matić was elected as an MP and represented [[Social Democratic Party of Croatia]] from the 5th constituency. On that same day, his candidacy was suspended, and Biljana Gaća was elected instead. He ran again, this time during the 2016 campaign, assuming office until 14 October, but was dropped in January of that year.<ref name=sabor/> After his candidacy was dropped, he served as a member of Defence Committee, Gender Equality Committee and the [[National Security Council (Croatia)|National Security Council]].<ref name=sabor/>
In addition to his committee assignments, Matić held the post of a Deputy Member of the Croatian delegation to the [[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe|Parliamentary Assembly]] of the [[South-East European Cooperation Process]] and was also a member of the Interparliamentary Co-operation Committee.<ref name=sabor/>
On 14 October 2016, Matić was elected back into an MP, using "Predrag" as his personal name. On 1 March 2019, he changed his name to "Predrag Fred" Matić following his reelection. During those years, from November 2016, he was a head of the Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the South-East European Cooperation Process and was a member of the Interparliamentary Co-operation Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sabor.hr/en/members-parliament/matic-predrag-fred-9-term|title=Predrag Fred Matić|publisher=Croatian Parliament|access-date=12 September 2019}}</ref>
===Member of the European Parliament, 2019–2024=== Matić was a [[Member of the European Parliament]] from the [[2019 European Parliament election in Croatia|2019 elections]]. In parliament, he served on the [[Committee on Fisheries]] and on the [[Committee on Culture and Education]].<ref name="Predrag Fred Matić">[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197441/PREDRAG+FRED_MATIC/home Predrag Fred Matić] [[European Parliament]].</ref> He was an alternate member of the [[Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality]], where he served as the parliament's [[rapporteur]] on [[sexual and reproductive health and rights]] in the EU.<ref>Maïa de La Baume (June 23, 2021), [https://www.politico.eu/article/abortion-debate-european-parliament-division-hatred/ Abortion debate in the European Parliament sparks divisions and hatred] ''[[Politico Europe]]''.</ref>
In addition to his committee assignments, Matić was part of the Parliament's delegation for relations with the [[Arab Peninsula]].<ref name="Predrag Fred Matić"/>
In September 2022, Matić was the recipient of the Justice, Rule of Law and Human Rights Award at ''[[The Parliament Magazine]]'''s annual [[The Parliament Magazine#The MEP Awards|MEP Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mepawards.eu/winners-2022/|title=MEP Awards: Winners 2022|date=21 September 2022|work=[[The Parliament Magazine]]|accessdate=24 August 2023}}</ref>
==Political positions== In 2018, Matić commented on [[Aleksandar Vučić]]'s statement that Croatia wanted a country without [[Serbs of Croatia|Serbs]], comparing it to [[Adolf Hitler]]'s comments on how he wanted Germany without [[Jews in Germany|Jews]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.novilist.hr/Vijesti/Hrvatska/Matic-Mi-nemamo-mangupa-koji-bi-se-suprotstavio-Vucicu-Plenkovic-je-prefin-za-to|title=Matić: Mi nemamo mangupa koji bi se suprotstavio Vučiću, Plenković je prefin za to|work=Novi list|language=hr|date=7 August 2018|access-date=12 September 2019}}</ref>
==Death== Matić died on 23 August 2024, at the age of 62.<ref>{{cite news |title=Preminuo je Fred Matić |url=https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/preminuo-je-fred-matic/2592884.aspx |access-date=23 August 2024 |publisher=Index HR |date=23 August 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|3}}
{{Portal|European Union}}
{{Navboxes |title=Predrag Matić navigational boxes |list = {{Current EP Croatia}} {{EP Political Group S&D}} }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Matic, Predrag}} [[Category:1962 births]] [[Category:2024 deaths]] [[Category:Social Democratic Party of Croatia politicians]] [[Category:People from Požega, Croatia]] [[Category:University of Osijek alumni]] [[Category:MEPs for Croatia 2019–2024]] [[Category:Order of Duke Domagoj recipients]] [[Category:Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski recipients]] [[Category:Military personnel of the Croatian War of Independence]] [[Category:MEPs for Croatia 2024–2029]] [[Category:Burials at Mirogoj Cemetery]]