ZAGREB, 28 February 2021 - Zagreb Deputy Mayor Jelena Pavičić Vukičević on Sunday sent her condolences to the family of Mayor Milan Bandić, who died this morning, and underscored that he lived and died for this city.
"Milan Bandić truly lived and died for this city... For 20 years he worked selflessly for this city. I know that critics will say that he made some mistakes along they way, but let him who is without sin cast the first stone. I don't think there is someone like that among us," Pavičić Vukičević said in her address to the public.
In retrospect, each of us would perhaps do some things differently, she added. She recalled Bandić's words that people leave their deeds behind and that people who leave such great deeds behind themselves never really die.
She said that with Bandić at the helm, Zagreb had become a true European metropolis. When we are perhaps very critical because we want everything to be even better, we should remember the words of foreign statesmen, visitors to the city and numerous tourists -- that they could see, recognise and compliment the true transformation and beauty of this city, she added.
Pavičić Vukičević confirmed that in accordance with the legal procedure, she would continue to lead the City of Zagreb until the local elections in May, about which she would first contact and inform Justice and Public Administration Minister Ivan Malenica.
Pavičić Vukičević said that the Professional Service of the Mayor first had to inform Malenica.
"According to the law, the person who is the first deputy on the list, and that is me, takes over," she said.
According to the procedure, in case of the mayor's death after two years in office, one of his deputies leads the city until the elections.
Pavičić Vukičević was an associate of Bandić since the beginning of his career, and she herself has many years of experience in running the city.
