Dino Colic (born 1965) is a Kresimirian politician who has served as the Senior Senator for District V (Moskiprovac) since 2002. A member of Blue Dawn, he is credited with rebuilding the party’s infrastructure in the central districts following its collapse in the 1990s.
Colic is a constitutionalist and a reliable moderate within the Assembly. His political philosophy is a synthesis of the statist economics of Ljubo Sanjakorin and the rural development focus of Stoyan Vasilis. He is best known for his narrow victory in the 2002 election, where he reclaimed a seat for Blue Dawn that had been held by the nationalist Vjetrusa party for a decade, signaling the beginning of the establishment’s recovery.
Early Life and Education
Dino Colic was born in 1965 in Vijrje. His family had deep roots in the local civil service. He became involved in politics as a teenager, joining the youth wing of Blue Dawn during the height of the Sanjakorin era.
He attended Vijrje City University (VCU), graduating in 1987 with a double degree in Politics and Marketing. His education at VCU, known for its practical approach, shaped his view of politics as a matter of logistics and public perception rather than high ideology.
Career in the Shadows (1985–2002)
The Wrba Internship
In 1985, while still a student, Colic began an internship in the office of then-Senator Mlada Wrba. He worked as a junior researcher and speechwriter.
When the Vijrje Restoration Scandal broke in 1990, implicating Wrba in massive embezzlement, Colic was one of the few staff members not tainted by the corruption. He cooperated fully with the Council for Internal Affairs investigation. Following Wrba’s catastrophic defeat in the 1992 election, Colic was left picking up the pieces of a shattered party organization in Moskiprovac.
Rebuilding the Party
For the next decade (1992–2002), Colic worked as the Blue Dawn District Secretary. While the district was represented by Bozidarka Borsa (Vjetrusa) and Florijan Kostic (CRF), Colic quietly rebuilt the local party machine. He distanced the local chapter from the Wrba legacy, focusing on grassroots community service and strengthening ties with the local branches of SZNO.
Political Career
The 2002 Election
In 2002, Bozidarka Borsa retired. Vjetrusa nominated her handpicked successor, Sasa Bubravacovic, expecting an easy transition.
Colic was selected as the Blue Dawn candidate. He ran a disciplined campaign, attacking Vjetrusa for neglecting local infrastructure while focusing on national culture wars. He successfully peeled away moderate voters who were tired of Borsa’s populism but wary of Kostic’s liberalism.
- Result: In a nail-biting finish, Colic defeated Bubravacovic (28.4% to 27.3%), winning the seat by just over one percentage point. His victory was a critical component of Stoyan Vasilis’s national resurgence strategy.
In the Assembly
Colic has been a low-profile but effective legislator. He sits on the Committee for Constitutional Standards, where he advocates for the strict interpretation of state powers.
- Loyalty: He generally votes with the party leadership. He supported Ari Stov’s Digital Vigilance Act, arguing it was necessary for constitutional order.
- 2022 Re-election: In 2022, Colic was re-elected with 35.1% of the vote. He was joined by his new running mate, Ivana Bogdan, securing a Blue Dawn sweep of the district for the first time since the 1980s.