He was expelled from the Communist Party in 1949 and subsequently served two years in Goli Otok prison for siding with Stalin's position in the Tito–Stalin Split.
After his release from prison, Zlatić focused on scientific work; he is considered one of the founders of clinical pharmacology in Croatia.
[5] In 1932, as a medical student, Zlatić joined the movement against the 6 January Dictatorship of King Alexander and took part in demonstrations against the regime.
In the following years, Zlatić spent most of his time establishing Communist Party cells in Zagreb, in accordance with Tito's instructions.
[7] In August 1941, after the establishment of the Axis-aligned Independent State of Croatia, by Party decision Zlatić was sent to the Kordun region to help provide medical care to Partisan troops.
The medical field work proved to be very risky, as it involved hours of traveling on foot to reach the wounded, crossing guarded roads and railway tracks in the process.
After the Tito–Stalin split in 1948, in which Albania sided with the Soviet Union and against Yugoslavia, Zlatić was summoned back to the country and named Minister of Industry.
[13] Like many other former political prisoners, Zlatić was monitored by UDBA, the Yugoslav secret police, using a wide network of informers which included his friends and coworkers.
Reports about Zlatić noted he still harbored sympathies for the Soviet Union, but had no interest in politics, having focused on his scientific work.