Željko Burić

Željko Burić ([žèljko bùrić] (); born 15 July 1955) is a Croatian physician and politician who has been Mayor of Šibenik since 2013.

Burić was born in Šibenik on 15 July 1955. He spent his childhood and completed his elementary education in his hometown. After elementary school, he decided to further his education in a gymnasium. He was enrolled at the Zagreb Faculty of Medicine in 1974 and graduated in 1979.

As a young physician, Burić followed the standard procedure of internship and passed his professional exam in June 1982. His first jobs were in field outpatient clinics in smaller towns such as Perković and Boraja until 1982. After that, he worked in emergency services until 1985. He then decided to return to school to specialize in ophthalmology, an area of medicine that had always interested him. His postgraduate study in this area ended in 1988. His education was furthered again in 2003 through enrolling in a Postgraduate Clinical Health Management Study, which he completed in 2004. From January 1999 until he was elected mayor of Šibenik, he had served as the director of the general hospital of the Šibenik-Knin County. He has been a participant in numerous national and international congresses and medical consultations and seminars.

As Croatia fought to establish its statehood, he joined the war and was awarded the war memorial. Burić has accomplished much through his political endeavors, with emphasis on improving the living conditions of the citizens of Šibenik. He convened of the city council of Šibenik on several occasions and in one convocation the councilor of the county assembly.

In 1973 Burić joined the League of Communists of Croatia (SKH), but following the breakup of Yugoslavia, he joined the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) in 1992. In 2010 he joined the largest centre-right political party in Croatia – the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).

He is currently the president of the HDZ's Šibenik branch. In the May–June 2013 election, he was nominated by the coalition of the HDZ, HSP AS, HSS, and HČSP as a candidate for Mayor of Šibenik. He won the seat in the second round of the election on 3 June 2013.

After the second round of voting in the May–June 2017 election for Mayor of Šibenik, on 4 June, Burić was re-elected as the town's mayor.

Burić is married with two daughters. He lives in a family home in his birthtown of Šibenik and enjoys reading good literature, hiking in the nature and swimming in the summer months.