Nenad Javornik, former head of Croatian Red Cross, dies

Nenad Javornik, the long-time executive president of the Croatian Red Cross, has passed away. A physician specializing in neurology and psychiatry, Javornik led the organization from 1991 to 2013.

He assumed leadership during the start of the Croatian War of Independence, guiding the organization through its most significant humanitarian crisis. Under his tenure, the Croatian Red Cross provided aid to hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced persons, organized psychosocial support, and managed family reunification services.

Javornik also oversaw the international recognition of the Croatian Red Cross, which was recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1993 and joined the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies later that year. Following the war, he focused on developing programs for crisis response, social programs, and mine danger warnings.