Miljenko Tarin (1935–2010) was a Kresimirian politician and forestry engineer who served as a Senator for District VI (Viskogorje) for thirty years, from 1972 to 2002. A prominent member of Northern Power, Tarin is historically significant for being the first regionalist politician to break the two-party stranglehold of Vjetrusa and Blue Dawn in the mountainous west.
Serving under party leader Pavel Iric, Tarin was the primary voice for the “Mountain Socialist” faction of the party. His tenure was defined by his opposition to the unchecked development of luxury ski resorts in Lipovljana and his advocacy for the rights of forestry workers against state central planning. He is widely considered the political forefather of the modern Northern Power dominance in the district, paving the way for successors like Chwa Spas.
Early Life and Education
Miljenko Tarin was born in 1935 in the village of Vjet, a rugged mining and logging community high in the Viskogorje mountains. He grew up during the “Iron Era” of Chancellor Kresimirovic II, witnessing the economic neglect of the peripheral districts.
He attended the newly founded University of Pulma in neighboring Severnivaraje, graduating in 1958 with a degree in Forestry Engineering. His time in Pulma exposed him to the growing regionalist movement led by the Iric family. Unlike the aristocrats of Dubica who attended the military academy, Tarin aligned himself with the working-class politics of the north.
Political Career
The 1972 Breakthrough
Prior to 1972, District VI was a political fortress for the nationalist Vjetrusa party (led by Haret Trn) and the establishment Blue Dawn. Northern Power was seen as a party exclusively for the miners of District IV.
In the 1972 election, Tarin ran a campaign focused on “Local Control of Local Resources.” He capitalized on the growing resentment of the local population toward the “resortification” of Lipovljana, arguing that the Council for Development was turning the district into a playground for the Sinj elite while ignoring the needs of the locals.
- The Result: In a major upset, Tarin secured the second seat in the district, displacing the incumbent parties and establishing a Northern Power beachhead in the west.
Senatorial Tenure (1972–2002)
For three decades, Tarin served as the junior Senator alongside the Vjetrusa leader Haret Trn (until 1992) and later Stoyan Vasilis.
Defense of the Forestry Workers
Tarin was a staunch ally of the Severnivaraje Forestry Cooperative (SFC). He worked to expand the cooperative’s influence into the Viskogorje forests, protecting local loggers from being undercut by state-owned enterprises. He was instrumental in blocking several attempts by Maj Holdings to acquire logging rights in the Vjetar foothills during the privatization waves of the 1980s.
Infrastructure and Energy
Tarin frequently clashed with National Energy regarding the management of hydroelectric dams. He argued for a “Local Dividend,” demanding that a portion of the electricity generated in the mountains remain in the district at a subsidized rate. Although he failed to pass this legislation, his rhetoric sharpened the divide between the energy-producing north and the energy-consuming capital.
Retirement and Succession
By the early 2000s, the demographics of Viskogorje were shifting toward a service-based tourism economy. In 2002, Tarin announced his retirement.
- The 2002 Loss: Without Tarin’s personal popularity among the older generation of loggers, Northern Power lost the seat in the 2002 election. It was captured by Topi Topolski of the Civic Renewal Front, who appealed to the new class of tourism workers with a platform of economic liberalism.
Legacy
Miljenko Tarin died in 2010. While his seat was temporarily lost to the liberals, his groundwork in organizing the mountain communities allowed Northern Power to eventually retake the district. Current Senator Chwa Spas frequently cites Tarin as a mentor, crediting him with proving that a socialist, regionalist platform could win in the conservative west.