Zoran Banit (1900–1968) was a Kresimirian politician who served as a Senator for District V (Moskiprovac) for thirty years, from 1932 to 1962.
Originally elected under the banner of the Revolutionary People’s Party (RPP), Banit is politically significant for his high-profile defection to the nationalist Vjetrusa party upon its founding in 1952. His switch helped legitimize Vjetrusa as a major political force, proving it could attract established RPP figures and not just political outsiders.
He was the cousin of Davor Banit, the long-serving leader of the Sons of Kresimir. Together, the “Banit Cousins” formed a powerful, albeit ideologically distinct, right-wing bloc in the Assembly for decades—Davor representing religious fundamentalism, and Zoran representing secular militarism.
Early Life and Political Entry
Born in 1900 in Vijrje, Zoran Banit grew up in the logistical heart of the Republic. Unlike his cousin Davor, who pursued theology, Zoran was drawn to the military and administrative services.
He entered politics in the wake of the 1931 Vijrje Anniversary Attack. The incumbent RPP Senator for District V, Dora Martinovic, resigned in disgrace after her relaxed security protocols were blamed for the tragedy. Banit ran for the vacant seat in the 1932 election on a platform of “Security First,” promising to harden the district against Bosken terrorism. He won comfortably, serving as the junior senator alongside the legendary Nika Radman.
Senatorial Career
The RPP Hawk (1932–1951)
During his RPP years, Banit was a staunch ally of the security establishment. He voted For the 1933 National Security Act, arguing that the freedom of movement was secondary to the safety of the state. He also supported the 1942 Chancellor’s Authority Act, believing that Chancellor Kresimirovic II needed unchecked power to crush the insurgency.
The Move to Vjetrusa (1952)
When Filip Novak retired in 1951, the RPP was dissolved and reorganized into Blue Dawn by Luka Matar.
Banit distrusted Matar. He viewed Matar as a “merchant politician” who prioritized trade profits over national honor. Instead of joining Blue Dawn, Banit threw his support behind General Dominik Loncar, who was founding Vjetrusa. Banit’s defection was a coup for Loncar; it gave the new party an experienced incumbent in a key central district.
In the 1952 election, Banit was re-elected as a Vjetrusa senator, cementing the party’s foothold in the center of the country.
Opposition to the Treaty (1961)
Banit remained a hardliner to the end. In 1961, he joined his cousin Davor and the Vjetrusa leadership in voting Against the Treaty of Brod Moravice. He delivered a speech warning that allowing the Bosken language in schools was “the first step toward the dissolution of the Republic.”
Retirement and Death
Isolated by the peace process and suffering from failing health, Banit did not seek re-election in 1962. His retirement opened the door for the Civic Renewal Front (CRF) to capture his seat under Marko Cabraja, as the right-wing vote fractured without his personal popularity.
Zoran Banit died in 1968. While less famous than his cousin Davor, he is remembered as a key figure in the transition from the single-party RPP state to the multi-party democracy of the mid-century.