Croatian MEP Fred Matić passes away

(Patria) - Croatian MEP Predrag Fred Matić passed away today at the age of 62, Jutarnji list has confirmed.

Matić was a Croatian defender, former Minister of Veterans, Member of Parliament and Member of the European Parliament.

Matić was born on June 2, 1962, in Požega. He completed primary and secondary school in Vukovar, and a two-year study at the Faculty of Pedagogy in Osijek, where he obtained the title of classroom teacher.

He is a volunteer of the Homeland War and a Croatian war disabled veteran. After actively participating in the defense of Vukovar, he was captured and taken to a nine-month imprisonment in three Serbian concentration camps.

For his merits in the defense of Croatia, he was awarded nine highest state decorations and medals, as well as several commendations and awards. He is a retired brigadier of the Croatian Army.

After the war, he worked in the Cabinet of the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Army and held the positions of Head of the General Affairs Office and spokesperson for the General Staff of the Croatian Army (1994-1998).

He was the first head of the Cabinet of the Ministry of Croatian Veterans of the Homeland War (1998-2000).