A former Croatian economy and defence minister and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) official, Branko Vukelic, died at the age of 55 in the Karlovac hospital where he was being treated, the hospital told the media on Friday afternoon. Two years ago, Vukelic was diagnosed with a pancreatic cancer.
He was the economy minister in the cabinet of HDZ leader Ivo Sanader after the HDZ victory in 2003. Vukelic served as defence minister from 2008 to 2010, and was a member of the parliament in the current Sabor. Recently he left the HDZ citing his dissatisfaction with how the party was being run.
