Milas was born in the village of Zmijavci near Imotski in Zagora, and graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb.
In 1972, the authorities of communist Yugoslavia charged Milas with "actions against the state", arrested and spent six months in jail awaiting trial.
[1] He was released to prepare his defense, and subsequently fled to Austria where he received the status of a refugee.
[1] Milas was reelected in the 1992 election, and served as the Minister of Justice from June 6 to August 12, 1992 and was later vice-president in the Croatian Government, under Hrvoje Šarinić.
Also in May 1995, the function of the Keeper of the State Seal (Croatian: Čuvar državnog pečata) was created,[3] and President Tuđman named Milas to the position[1][2] on May 6, 1995, where he remained until February 1, 2000.