RIP Dr. Ivan Bilić (Ivan Bilic) (1933-2003)

People die every day, but lately it happens with higher frequency than usual. My impression is in most likelihood very subjective, because I noticed too many obituaries of people I know or I am related to. In last couple of days I lost a relative, than a close neighbour, and finally, in today's Slobodna Dalmacija I read obituary of Dr. Ivan Bilić (Dr. Ivan Bilic), man who taught me Political Economy at Split University.

Economy is the area whose importance in life I discovered relatively lately, just like many people of my generation. So, his course was initially boring compared with others, but Professor Bilić made it interesting with his lectures, during which he began to open my eyes about some facts that I had only most abstract ideas, having to grow up under Communism.

During his most of life, Dr. Bilić had to live with the burden created by his of reputation of Croatian nationalist. When being Croatian nationalist stopped being burden and became an advantage, Dr. Bilić was one of those people who refused to abuse it and instead kept his professional, academic and human integrity.

Dr. Bilić is survived by wife and two sons, one of which is Slaven Bilić (Slaven Bilic), famous soccer player.