[1] For more than ten years, Žalac worked on the development and implementation of projects, including using European funds.

She served as director of the department of foreign and European affairs of the Vukovar-Srijem County administration and president of the regional development agency "Hrast".

[2] In October 2016, on the recommendation of the Croatian Democratic Union, she was appointed Minister of Regional Development and Management of European Funds in the government of Andrej Plenković.

In 2019, Žalac hit a nine-year-old child in Vinkovci while driving with an invalid license.

[4] In 2021, Žalac was arrested by the European Attorney General's Office for corruption and embezzling funds[5][6] and was investigated in 2023.