Miroslav Škoro


Miroslav Škoro is a Croatian musician, television host and politician. He is the founder and leader of the conservative Homeland Movement party, which he established in February 2020. As a musician, Škoro is best known for using the traditional Slavonian tamburitza instrument in most of his compositions.
In the 2007 parliamentary election he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Croatian Democratic Union party and held the office from January 2008 until his resignation in November of the same year. On 23 June 2019, he announced that he would contest the December presidential election as an independent candidate. He ended up finishing in third place with 24.45% of the vote - behind former prime minister Zoran Milanović and incumbent president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, and thus did not advance to the second round run-off in January 2020. On 29 February 2020, he announced that he would be forming - as well as personally chairing, a new political party called the Miroslav Škoro Homeland Movement, which is currently contesting the July 2020 parliamentary election as part of a wider coalition of conservative and right-wing parties.

Early life

Born in Osijek, Škoro completed a civil engineering degree at the University of Osijek. He subsequently spent some time in the United States where he attended two years at the Community College of Allegheny County. During his time in the United States, he co-wrote his first album Ne dirajte mi ravnicu with Pennsylvania native and tamburitza virtuoso.

Music career

Škoro emerged onto the Croatian music scene with the debut album Ne dirajte mi ravnicu and produced a song of the same name which would go on to be one of the most famous Croatian songs. The tambura group Zlatni dukati released their own cover of the song that same year. In 2002, Škoro collaborated with Marko Perković on the song "Reci, brate moj". In the year after the collaboration was renewed in the single "Sude mi", dedicated to retired Croatian general Ante Gotovina.
Between 2001 and 2006, Škoro was the chairman of the board of Croatia Records, the largest record company in Croatia.
In 2003, Škoro was a judge in Story Supernova Music Talents, a reality show aired on Nova TV and performed his song "Mata" at the funeral of general Janko Bobetko. In 2004 his song "Milo moje" won the Croatian Musicians Union's annual award for hit song. His 2005 album, Svetinja, sold over 20,000 copies.

Political career

From 1995 to 1997, Škoro was the Croatian general consul to Hungary.
On 30 October 2007, Škoro joined the Croatian Democratic Union, becoming a candidate on the 2007 parliamentary election and won seat in the parliament. Škoro took office on 11 January 2008, but resigned in November 2008 due to his disappointment over the way politicians were treated by Croatian media.
On 23 June 2019, Škoro announced his candidacy in the 2019–20 Croatian presidential election. In a video message on his Facebook page, Škoro said that changes to the Constitution are needed and that the president should have more powers. He came in third place with 24.45% of the vote and was eliminated from the second round. His campaign is supported by HKS, Hrast and Most.
On 29 February 2020, Škoro reported to the media the establishment of the new right-wing political party, the Miroslav Škoro Homeland Movement, four and a half months before the 2020 parliamentary election.

Music festival appearances

Festivals won are in bold.