Marija Pejčinović Burić

Marija Pejčinović Burić
Photographer: Jennifer Jacquemart · CC BY 4.0 · source
Name	Marija Pejčinović Burić
Birth date	1963-04-09
Birth place	Mostar, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia
Nationality	Croatian
Alma mater	University of Zagreb
Occupation	Politician, Diplomat
Office	Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Term start	2019
Predecessor	Thorbjørn Jagland

Marija Pejčinović Burić is a Croatian politician and diplomat who has served in senior national and international roles, including as a minister in Croatian cabinets and as Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Trained in law and political science at the University of Zagreb, she has engaged with institutions such as the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, and the Council of Europe, and has been active in regional initiatives linking the Western Balkans, Central Europe, and transatlantic partners. Her tenure has involved interactions with leaders from the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and member states across Europe.

Early life and education

Born in Mostar during the era of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, Pejčinović Burić completed primary and secondary schooling before attending the University of Zagreb, where she studied law and earned postgraduate qualifications. During her studies she engaged with organizations such as the Croatian Democratic Union, student associations linked to the University of Sarajevo and exchanges involving the Council of Europe and the European Union Erasmus frameworks. Her early career included legal and advisory work that connected her with Croatian institutions in Zagreb and with regional offices of the United Nations Development Programme and the International Monetary Fund through policy internships.

Political career in Croatia

Pejčinović Burić rose within the ranks of the Croatian Democratic Union and held posts in municipal and national bodies, collaborating with figures from the Cabinet of Andrej Plenković, the Croatian Parliament, and the Government of the Republic of Croatia. She served in roles that interfaced with the European Commission on accession and cohesion policies, liaised with the European People's Party, and represented Croatia in forums alongside representatives from Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro. Her work involved coordination with the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, engagement in regional stability processes linked to the Berlin Process, and participation in summits with the Visegrád Group and the Central European Initiative.

Ministerial roles and government service

As a minister and deputy prime minister in Croatian cabinets, she held portfolios that required cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (Croatia), the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds (Croatia), and the Ministry of Justice (Croatia). She negotiated with commissioners from the European Commission such as those responsible for enlargement and neighbourhood policy, worked with officials from the European External Action Service, and engaged in dialogue with ambassadors accredited from countries including France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, and the United States. Her ministerial responsibilities included participation in NATO ministerial meetings, Council of the European Union formations, and bilateral talks with counterparts from Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Austria.

Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe in 2019, she succeeded Thorbjørn Jagland and assumed responsibilities across the Organisation's mechanisms, including the European Court of Human Rights, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Her tenure involved dialogues with heads of state and government from member states such as Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Spain, and Portugal, and coordination with international bodies including the United Nations Security Council, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the European Court of Auditors on institutional accountability. She steered institutional responses to challenges including human rights monitoring in member states, cooperation with civil society organizations, and initiatives on democratic resilience that engaged partners like the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Health Organization for rights-based approaches.

Political positions and policies

Pejčinović Burić has advocated positions emphasizing integration of Council of Europe norms into national legislation, cooperation on human rights with the European Court of Human Rights, and strengthened anti-corruption measures in concert with the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), the Venice Commission, and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture. She has promoted gender equality initiatives aligned with UN Women commitments, advanced youth participation drawing on models from the European Youth Forum, and supported cultural heritage protection consistent with UNESCO conventions. On regional security she has supported engagement between North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, and EU member states, and has urged compliance with treaties such as the European Convention on Human Rights and agreements mediated by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Honors and recognition

Her service has been recognized through awards and honours from national and international bodies, including decorations from the Republic of Croatia, commendations from parliamentary assemblies such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and acknowledgements from NGOs like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch for cooperation on human rights projects. She has received honorary distinctions bestowed by municipal and regional authorities including cities in Zagreb, Dubrovnik, and regional partners in Sarajevo and Ljubljana, and has been listed in professional registries alongside diplomats from institutions such as the European External Action Service and the OSCE Secretariat.

Category:Croatian politicians Category:Secretaries General of the Council of Europe