Robert Jovicic

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Robert Jovicic (Serbian: Роберт Јовичић) was born on December 4, 1966 in France of Serbian parents. At the age of two, his family migrated to Australia, where Jovicic became an Australian permanent resident and lived for the next 36 years. He is now a stateless person, having had his Australian Permanent Residency revoked in 2004.

In Australia, Jovicic became addicted to heroin and turned to crime. By 2004 his criminal record numbered some 158 criminal convictions, mainly for burglary and theft. In June 2004 his permanent residency was cancelled and he was detained, before being deported to Belgrade, Serbia, at the discretion of the then Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock, a decision since upheld by Mr Ruddock's successor, Amanda Vanstone. The Australian Government only obtained a 7 day visa for him, which meant he was unable to work, and the Serbian authorities declared him stateless [1].

He turned up destitute and ill, sleeping rough in freezing temperatures outside the Australian embassy in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, in late November 2005 [2]. His case was widely publicised in the Australian media, and there were calls for the Australian Government to reverse its cancellation of Jovicic's permanent residency. Jovicic's legal counsel have stated that he does not speak or understand the Serbian language. Jovicic's father now lives in Serbia, but he has his own problems (with alcohol) and his relationship with Robert is strained, so he was of little help [3].

In March 2006, the then Australian Immigration Minister Senator Amanda Vanstone announced that Jovicic would be given a special purpose visa and allowed to return to Australia. She apparently promised the family through the then DIMIA that he would be returned and given an RRV (Resident Return Visa). According to his lawyer and others he was also offered access to the new Reconnecting People Package [4][5], which is for the reintegration of those wrongly detained (it would seem that if this package was offered it has since been withdrawn). Jovicic returned to Australia on the 9th March 2006, but to no certainty about his status [6]. This state of uncertainty continued for almost a year, until he was granted a two year special protection visa in 19th February 2007 [7] by Senator Vanstone's successor as Immigration Minister, Kevin Andrews.

In February 2008 the new Labor Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, granted a Permanent Resident visa to Robert Jovicic.[1]

[edit] See also

Other prominent immigration cases in Australia:

[edit] References

  1. ^ Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (Australia) (23 February 2008). "Permanent visa granted to Robert Jovicic". Press release. Retrieved on 2008-06-04.