Vladi Korunic (1912–1995) was a Kresimirian politician, architect, and public speaker who served as a Senator for District I (Sinj) for thirty years, from 1942 to 1972. A prominent member of the capital’s political elite, he represented the liberal wing of the Revolutionary People’s Party (RPP) and subsequently Blue Dawn.
Korunic is best remembered as a transitional figure who survived the authoritarian “Iron Era” of the 1950s to become a key supporter of the liberalization policies of the 1960s. He was a staunch ally of both Leon Rukavin and Ante Brov, providing crucial votes from the capital district to support the Treaty of Brod Moravice and the modernization of the state.
Outside of the Assembly, Korunic was a noted figure in the private sector. He was the founder and CEO of Fire Away, an environmental architecture firm, and was a prolific motivational speaker known for his seminars on “Civic Optimism.” He is the father of Sara Korunic, who served as a Blue Dawn Senator for Sinj from 2002 to 2022.
Early Life and Education
Vladi Korunic was born in 1912 in the “Old Town” of Sinj. He came from a family of civil engineers who had served under the Vosti Empire. He attended Sinj University, graduating in 1935 with a degree in Architecture and Urban Planning.
During his youth, Korunic was influenced by the modernist movements in Kruhlstutt, advocating for green spaces and sustainable urban design—views that were considered radical in the utilitarian atmosphere of the early Republic.
Political Career
The RPP Years (1942–1951)
Korunic was first elected to the Assembly in the 1942 election, running on the RPP ticket. He succeeded the retiring Senator Ana Kovacevic. While the national mood was dominated by Chancellor Kresimirovic II’s crackdown on the BRC-21 insurgency, Korunic focused his legislative efforts on urban development in the capital.
He gained a reputation as a quiet liberal. While he did not publicly oppose the Chancellor’s Authority Act, he worked behind the scenes to soften the implementation of the National Security Act within Sinj, protecting several architectural guilds from state seizure.
The Blue Dawn Era (1951–1972)
Following the dissolution of the RPP, Korunic joined Luka Matar in founding Blue Dawn. However, he frequently clashed with Matar’s hardline faction. During the Great Purge of 1955, Korunic managed to avoid dismissal by positioning himself as an indispensable technocrat regarding the city’s infrastructure.
The Rukavin and Brov Coalitions
Following Matar’s death in 1959, Korunic threw his support behind the reformist Leon Rukavin.
Later, he became a close confidant of Ante Brov. Korunic played a key role in drafting the urban zoning sections of the 1967 District Governance Act, ensuring that Sinj retained its “Special Status of Divinity” while allowing for modernization.
Professional Career
Fire Away (1966–1985)
While serving in the Senate, Korunic founded Fire Away in 1966, an architecture and consultancy firm. The company was unique in Kresimiria for its focus on environmental integration. At a time when the Council for Development favored brutalist concrete, Fire Away advocated for “Living Cities” incorporating parks and natural light.
The firm was responsible for designing the Sinj River Walk along the Kambel River and several green-energy retrofits for the Sinj University campus. Korunic led the firm until 1985, after which it was acquired by GradnjaMC.
Motivational Speaking
Korunic was a charismatic orator. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, he toured the country giving seminars on “The Architecture of the Self.” He consulted for progressive think tanks, arguing that personal responsibility and civic engagement were the keys to a healthy Republic. His philosophy, often at odds with the rigid collectivism of many Blue Dawn figures like Luka Matar, made him a popular figure among the urban intelligentsia.
Retirement and Legacy
Vladi Korunic retired from the Assembly prior to the 1972 election, choosing not to seek a fourth term. He was succeeded in District I by Edvard Matas.
He died in 1995. His political legacy was revived by his daughter, Sara Korunic, who was elected as a Blue Dawn Senator for District I in 2002. Sara frequently cited her father’s brand of “Urban Liberalism” as her inspiration, notably opposing the Digital Sovereignty Act in 2015, mirroring her father’s skepticism of state overreach.