Dr Vida Čadonič Špelič

Dr Vida Čadonič Špelič holds a PhD in veterinary science. After graduating from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Ljubljana in 1983, she went on to earn her Master’s degree in 1989 and her PhD in 1993.

She began her professional career as a veterinarian at the Dolenjska Veterinary Institute, later working as a veterinary inspector at the Novo mesto Inspection Services Administration. In 1993, she was elected to the National Assembly and from 1994 to 1996 served as Secretary-General of the Slovene Christian Democrats. From 1996 to 2000, she was Director of the Office for Consumer Protection. She then became a member of the National Assembly and was subsequently appointed State Secretary for Food, Veterinary Affairs, and Coordination of Bodies within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Food. From 2004 to 2013, she was Director General of the Veterinary Administration of the Republic of Slovenia. From 2013 to 2015, she was Director General of the Republic of Slovenia's Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Affairs and Plant Protection. For the following seven years, she was Director of the Municipal Administration of the City of Novo mesto, also serving as Deputy Commander of the City’s Civil Protection. From 2022 to 2026, she was a member of the National Assembly for New Slovenia – Christian Democrats. She chaired the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Food, and was a member of the Committees on Internal Affairs and Local Self-Government, and on Justice. She was also a member of the Investigative Commission and the Commission for the Oversight of Security and Intelligence Services.

She is the author of a book, as well as the author or co-author of numerous professional and scientific articles in the field of veterinary medicine. She has contributed to drafting more than ten laws and over two hundred regulations relating to consumer protection, veterinary medicine, animal husbandry and plant health. She has lectured on these topics at the Grm Novo Mesto Secondary Agricultural School, as well as at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Faculty of Medicine, where she was a guest lecturer. She was a member of the examination board for state examinations for doctors of veterinary medicine. In 2008, she chaired the Council of Europe's working group of directors of veterinary administrations, and from 2004 to 2015 she headed the National Centre for Disease Control. She also lectures at Grm Novo mesto College of Rural Management and occasionally at Novo mesto Faculty of Health Sciences.

She has participated in various bodies within the field of public administration, including the Inspection Council and the Civil Service Council at the Ministry of Public Administration. She has also served as head of the Informatisation Working Group at the Ministry of Public Administration's Inspection Council, as a member of the Working Group on the reorganisation of the state administration, and as a member of various working groups in the fields of agriculture, livestock farming, and veterinary medicine at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Food.

She has also served on the boards of various public institutions. These include the Novo mesto General Hospital, where she was a member of the board from 2003 to 2005 and chair from 2006 to 2009; the Novo mesto Health Care Institute; the Lipica Stud Farm; the University Medical Centre Ljubljana; the Novo mesto Health Centre, Member of the Board of the Novo mesto Nursing Home, Member of the Board of the Public Agency for Medicines and Expert Advisor to the Commission on Zoonoses, Chair of the Parents’ Council and Member of the School Board of the Centre Elementary School and Novo mesto High School, Chair of the Directors’ Association of the Association of Municipalities of Slovenia, Chair of the Board of the Dolenjska Pharmacy Institute, Chair of the Board of the Novo mesto Health Centre, and Chair of the Board of the Novo mesto General Hospital, as well as Chair of the Healthy Cities Steering Committee at the National Institute of Public Health.

She speaks English, German and Croatian.

She plays an active role in the local community and in social activities. She was elected as a municipal councillor in the Municipality of Novo mesto for the terms 2010–2014 and 2022–2026. She has been a member of the Zilje Fire Department and a lay judge. She has also been vice-president of the women’s handball club Krka and the founder of the »Varna hiša Novo mesto« association. She is also a member of the »Univerza Novo mesto« association and the committee for the promotion of the cultural heritage of the Municipality of Novo mesto.