Boris Tadić

Boris Tadić Борис Тадић
President of Serbia
Incumbent
Assumed office  11 July 2004
Prime Minister	Vojislav Koštunica Mirko Cvetković
Preceded by	Predrag Marković (Acting)
Minister of Defence of Serbia and Montenegro
In office 17 March 2003 – 16 April 2004
Preceded by	Velimir Radojević
Succeeded by	Prvoslav Davinić
Federal Minister of Telecommunications of Yugoslavia
In office 4 November 2000 – 17 March 2003
Born	15 January 1958 (1958-01-15) (age 51) Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse	Tatjana Tadić
Residence	New Palace, Belgrade, Serbia
Alma mater	University of Belgrade
Profession	Psychologist
Religion	Serbian Orthodox
Signature
Website	www.predsednik.rs/

Boris Tadić (Serbian: Борис Тадић; born January 15, 1958) is a Serbian politician and the current President of Serbia. A psychologist by profession, he is a leader of the Democratic Party. Tadić was elected to a four-year term on June 27, 2004, and was sworn into office on July 11, 2004. He was reelected for a de facto^[1] second five-year term on February 3, 2008 and was sworn in on February 15. Prior to Presidency, Tadić served as the Minister of Telecommunications of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and as the Minister of Defence of Serbia and Montenegro.

Boris Tadić advocates full integration of Serbia into the European Union but he also believes Serbia can only join the EU if territorial integrity of Serbia with sovereignty over Kosovo and Metohija is respected.^[2] He is seen as the pro-Western leader but who favors well-balanced relations with Russia, the United States, and the EU.^[3][4][5][6]

Early life

Boris Tadić was born in Sarajevo, the capital of the People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a republic within the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. His father, Ljubomir is a philosopher and a member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. His mother, Nevenka, is a psychologist. His maternal grandfather and six other relatives were killed by the Croatian Ustaše regime during World War II in Jasenovac concentration camp.^[7]

His parents were often moving between various cities and had moved to Sarajevo from Paris, where they were pursuing their doctoral studies, only a few days prior to his birth. The Tadić family moved to Belgrade when Boris was three years old, and his father got a job at the newspaper Liberation. He was rebellious even as a child, once running away from home wishing to join a circus.^[8][9]

Tadić finished Pera Popović Aga (today Mika Petrović Alas)^[10] elementary school and matriculated at First Belgrade Gymnasium in Dorćol, neighborhood of Belgrade. During his teenage years he played water polo for Partizan Belgrade but had to quit due to injuries. He graduated from the University of Belgrade with a degree in psychology. Tadić was arrested during his studies for organizing anti-communist lectures in private apartments with help of dissident professors who lost their jobs at the regime-run University of Belgrade. He worked as a journalist, military clinical psychologist and as a teacher of psychology at the First Belgrade Gymnasium.^[10]

Until 2003, Tadić also worked at the Faculty of Drama at the University of Belgrade as a lecturer of political advertising.

Political career

Boris Tadić visiting George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen as the Defence Minister

Tadić joined the Democratic Party, founded in 1919 but suppressed in communist Yugoslavia, when it was re-established as a modern social democratic party in 1990. The Democrats won seven seats in the National Assembly that year.

Boris Tadić was the founder of the Center for modern skills in 1998. Center for modern skills is the NGO dealing with political and civil education, and the development of the political culture and dialogue.^[11]

Tadić's party, a member of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia, played a key role in the Bulldozer Revolution that toppled Slobodan Milošević in 2000. He served two terms as the Deputy Leader of the Democratic Party before he was elected as a new leader in 2004.

Tadić served as Minister of Telecommunications in the Government of FR Yugoslavia in 2000 and as Minister of Defence in the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro from March 17, 2003 until he started his presidential campaign. He served as an MP of the Democratic Party in the Federal Senate and as vice-speaker of the Yugoslav Parliament. He served as the leader of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia coalition in the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro in 2003 and as leader of the Democratic Party in the Parliament of Serbia in 2004.

The assassination of Zoran Đinđić in March 2003 led to a leadership convention of the Democratic Party in 2004, which was won by Tadić against Zoran Živković.^[12]

Presidency

President of Serbia within state union (2004-2008)

Tadić as the newly elected Democratic Party leader was chosen as the candidate for the presidential election. Tadić defeated Tomislav Nikolić of the nationalist Radical Party in the run-off of the 2004 presidential election with 53.34% of the vote. He was inaugurated on July 11 of that year.^[13]

On December 1, 2004, Tadić’s presidential motorcade was involved in a traffic collision. Miroslav Cimpl, a Serb employee of the local American embassy, repeatedly crashed his vehicle into presidential motorcade although the President's car was not personally affected. Cimpl fled the scene but was later arrested after the Serb government complained to the embassy. A subsequent investigation concluded that Cimpl did not intend to harm Tadić but that he was driving under influence of alcohol. The public drew a connection between this incident and a similar occurrence in February 2003 when Dejan Milenković Bagzi attempted to kill then-Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić by ramming his vehicle with a truck on the highway.^[14]

On December 6, 2004, Boris Tadić made an apology in Bosnia-Herzegovina to all those who suffered crimes committed in the name of the Serb people.^[15]

As President, Tadić has pursued a pro-Western foreign policy. On September 28, 2005 he met with Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City, making him the first Serbian head of state to be granted an audience with a pope. This helped improve traditionally strained Catholic-Orthodox relations.^[16]

Tadić presided during the independence referendum in Montenegro in 2006. He was the first foreign head of state to visit Montenegro after it became independent on June 8, promising to continue friendly relations. Serbia declared independence as well, and Tadić attended the first raising of the flag of Serbia at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.^[17]

Tadić took part in the events marking the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution, unveiling a plaque in honour of Imre Nagy with Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány at the Embassy of Serbia in Budapest.^[18]

On June 22, 2007, Tadić presided over the 1000th meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers in Belgrade.^[19]

In 2007, Tadić issued an apology to Croatia for any crimes committed in Serbia's name during the war in Croatia.^[20]

Boris Tadić at the Belgrade Book Fair.

On August 4, 2007, Tadić was awarded the "European Prize for Political Culture]" that is given by the Swiss Foundation Hans Ringier of the Ringier Publishing House in Locarno. Previously it was awarded to Jean-Claude Juncker. Tadić decided to donate the financial part of the award for humanitarian purposes for the maternity hospital in town near Gračanica.^[21][22] In the same year Tadić was a signatory of the agreement that led to formation of the Council for Cooperation between Serbia and Republika Srpska on September 6, 2007, together with Milorad Dodik and Vojislav Koštunica.^[23]

In September 2007, he met with Sumitaka Fujita, CFO of Itochu Corporation in order to negotiate a donation from Official development assistance which would be used for the construction of a new bridge over the river Danube in Belgrade.^[24]

Contrary to his earlier decision in the 2004 Kosovan parliamentary election, Tadić stated that he has no right to call Serbs of Kosovo to vote in the 2007 Kosovo parliamentary election, as the standards he asked for in 2004 were not reached.^[25]

He stated that former and current terrorists, who escaped from prison in Kosovo in September 2007, are located in northern regions of the Republic of Macedonia. According to him, terrorists are planning new attacks on municipalities in southern Serbia in order to start a new Preševo Valley conflict.^[26]

On January 13, 2008, Tadić announced a 7.5 billion RSD modernization package for the Serbian Army from the National Investment Plan to include the purchase of communications equipment and an overhaul of the air force.^[27]

Reelection campaign

Main article: Boris Tadić reelection campaign, 2008

Boris Tadić has advocated an early presidential election that is required under constitutional law, since the adoption of the new Constitution of Serbia, after the successful constitutional referendum in October 2006. On December 13, 2007 the speaker of the Parliament, Oliver Dulić, set the election date for January 20, 2008. The Democratic Party officially submitted the candidacy of its leader to the Republic Electoral Commission on December 21. The reelection campaign was led under the slogan - ”For a Strong and Stable Serbia“ (За Јаку и Стабилну Србију) in the first round and ”Let's conquer Europe together!“ (Да освојимо Европу заједно!) in the second. Tadić advocated integration of Serbia into the European Union but also territorial integrity of Serbia with sovereignty over Kosovo and Metohia.

Tadić received support from G17 Plus and Sanjak Democratic Party, partners from the Government. He also received support of various national minority parties including Hungarian and Roma parties. Tadić has received strong support from Milorad Dodik, the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska.^[28] Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote a letter to Tadić a week before the election, in which he wished Tadić a happy 50th birthday and all the very best in his activities for “the welfare of our friends, Serbia.” ^[29] Boris Tadić also received support from various organizations representing people with disabilities and special needs.^[30]

Tadić received 1,457,030 votes (35.39 percent) in the first round. In the second round on February 3, 2008, he faced Tomislav Nikolić and won the election with 2,304,467 votes (50.31 percent).^[31]

President of Serbia (2008-)

He was sworn in at the inauguration ceremony on February 15, 2008 in the National Assembly of Serbia.^[32]

The Assembly of Kosovo, proclaimed a unilateral declaration of independence on February 17, 2008.^[33] Boris Tadić urged a United Nations Security Council meeting to react urgently and annul the act. He also said that Belgrade would never recognize the independence of Kosovo and would never give up the struggle for its legitimate interests.^[34] Russia backed Serbia's position and President Vladimir Putin said that any support for Kosovo's unilateral declaration is immoral and illegal.^[35] On February 21 Tadić met President of Romania Traian Băsescu in Bucharest where he thanked him for Romanian support and stated that "Serbia will not give up its future in Europe". Tadić also said that Serbia would not accept the legality of the EU's planned policing and judiciary mission for Kosovo.^[36] On February 25, 2008 Boris Tadić met with Dmitry Medvedev and Sergei Lavrov in Belgrade where Medvedev stated that “We proceed from the understanding that Serbia is a single state with its jurisdiction spanning its entire territory, and we will adhere to this principled stance in the future, We have made a deal to coordinate together our efforts in order to get out of this complicated situation”. Agreement on South Stream pipeline was also signed during this visit.^[37][38]

Meeting with Lech Kaczyński, President of Poland, at the 63rd UN General Assembly session in September 2008

Tadić said that Serbia would never recognize an independent Kosovo.^[39] He stated that the problem of Kosovo was not solved by the unilaterally declared independence and that the decade-long problems between Serbs and Albanians still exist. He called the international institutions to find a solution within the UN Security Council, for the continuation of negotiations.^[40] He also called a decision made by the U.S. President George W. Bush to send arms to Kosovo “bad news.” ^[41]

Boris Tadić with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Belgrade.

On April 5, 2008, Tadić called the acquittal of Ramush Haradinaj "disgraceful because of the innocent victims" and demanded the ICTY to appeal. He said that Serbia wishes to help the Tribunal to collect evidence "because Haradinaj’s place is in prison". He said that former Hague Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte had said that witnesses in the case against Haradinaj had been intimidated and even murdered to prevent them testifying to his crimes.^[42]

On March 13, 2008, President Tadić has signed a decree dissolving the country's parliament and slating early parliamentary elections for May 11.^[43] Boris Tadić has gathered a large pro-EU coalition around his Democratic Party and G17 Plus for the upcoming Serbian parliamentary election in 2008, named “For a European Serbia - Boris Tadić”. The coalition list is led by Dragoljub Mićunović and it also includes Sanjak Democratic Party, Serbian Renewal Movement and League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina.^[44] According to polls this coalition will win around 40% of the vote.^[45] He condemnеd remarks regarding the election made by Javier Solana and Pieter Feith and called on the European Union not to interfere with Serbian elections.^[46][47]

Tadić said that he is ready, authorized as per Vienna Convention^[48], to sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union if it is offered on April 28, but not at the price of recognizing Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence.^[49] Tadić attended the signing of the SAA ceremony in Luxembourg on April 29, where the Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić signed the document on behalf of Serbia, as per the authorization of the Government from December 2007. He is opposed by the Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica who thinks Serbia must not sign any agreements with the European Union.^[50] On May 1, Koštunica said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was right when he said that the SAA should have been signed but one day later on May 2 he vowed to annul the agreement after the election, calling it "a trick", "Solana's agreement" and "the Tadić-Đelić SAA signature".^[51][52]

On June 27, 2008, he named Mirko Cvetković for the new Prime Minister, following the victory of his party coalition in parliamentary election that took place in May. Cvetković was officially sworn in after giving the oath in the National Assembly on July 7, 2008.^[53]

Following the 2008 South Ossetia War, and Russian recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia independence, he refused to follow suit by saying that even though he respects the Russian support to Serbia regarding Kosovo, "Serbia is not going to recognise these so-called new countries". He stated that "Serbia is not going to do something that is against our interest, because we are defending out territorial integrity and sovereignty by using international law" and that by constitution he must defend the interests of Serbia, and not the interests of any other country in the world.^[54][55]

Boris Tadić attending Quadriga awards ceremony with Gerhard Schröder

He received the Quadriga award in September 2008, an annual German award sponsored by Werkstatt Deutschland, a non-profit organization based in Berlin. The award recognizes four people or groups for their commitment to innovation, renewal, and a pioneering spirit through political, economic, and cultural activities. The other three winners were Wikipedia, represented by Jimmy Wales, Eckart Höfling, Franciscan and director and Peter Gabriel, musician and human rights activist. Award given to Tadić was named The Courage of Perseverance and was presented by Heinz Fischer, the Federal President of Austria.^[56]

People's Office of the President

During the 2004 election campaign, Tadić promised to form a new special institution called the People's Office. The People's Office of the President of the Republic was opened on October 1, 2004. The role of the People's Office is to make communication between the citizens and the President easier, and to cooperate between other state bodies and institutions, in order to enable the citizens of Serbia to exercise their rights. The People's Office of the President is divided into four divisions: Legal Affairs Division, Social Affairs Division, Projects Division and General Affairs Division. The first Director of the People's Office was Dragan Đilas. When he joined the Government of Serbia as the Minister in charge of the National Investment Plan in 2007, Tatjana Pašić became the new Director.^[57]

Advisors

Advisors to the President of the Republic carry out the analytical, advisory and other corresponding tasks for the needs of the President of the Republic as well as other expert tasks in relations of the President with the Government and the Parliament.^[58]

Chief of Staff is Miodrag Rakić. Acting Secretary General of the Office of the President is Vladimir Cvijan.

Previous advisors who served from 2005 to 2008 are Biserka Jevtimijević Drinjaković (economic issues), Vladimir Cvijan (legal issues) and Dušan T. Bataković and Leon Cohen (political issues). Most of the former advisors are now serving as directors of public enterprises and ambassadors.

Personal life

He is married to Tatjana Tadić (née Rodić), with whom he has two children. He was previously married to Veselinka Zastavniković, but they divorced, having no children.^[59] Tadić has a sister, Vjera, who is a psychologist as well. Besides his native language, Tadić is fluent in English and French.^[10]

References

External links

• Official Biography of The President of Serbia
• People´s Office of the President
• Biography at the Democratic Party Website
• Official Presidential Campaign Website
  • Boris Tadić YouTube channel
  • Boris Tadić MySpace campaign page
• The 1000 Young Serbian Leaders Programme
• Center for modern skills
• President Tadić's speech at the 63th session of the General Assembly

Leaders of Serbia since 1945 Socialist Republic of Serbia (1945-1992), CC Secretaries Siniša Stanković · Petar Stambolić · Jovan Veselinov · Dušan Petrović · Miloš Minić · Dragoslav Marković · Živan Vasiljević · Dragoslav Marković · Dobrivoje Vidić  · Nikola Ljubičić · Dušan Čkrebić · Ivan Stambolić · Petar Gračanin · Ljubiša Igić* · Slobodan Milošević Within FR Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro (1992-2006), Presidents Slobodan Milošević  · Dragan Tomić*  · Milan Milutinović  · Nataša Mićić*  · Dragan Maršićanin*  · Vojislav Mihailović*  · Predrag Marković*  · Boris Tadić Republic of Serbia (2006-), President Boris Tadić * acting

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