Deputy Prime Minister of the Serbian Parliament

Significant Dates: He was born on March 13th, 1955, in Kolasin, Montenegro, where he finished high school. Cleaning services, milk distribution and (un)loading coal and cement at the train station were his means of support during his college days in Belgrade. He is fond of praising himself for “never having been pushed by anyone.” He studied medicine in Belgrade, where he received an M.D. and later a Ph. D. in 1990. He is a specialized family practitioner.

Career Path: He was an assistant in the University of Pristina, later moving to Belgrade. After graduating from medical school, and during his specialization, he worked as a doctor in the Insitute for Student Health. He became director of the Dedinje Institute for cardiovascular diseases in 1992. Three years later, he received an award for “Health Professional of the Year”, and was given a golden statue by the Paris Chamber of Commerce in 1997. He also taught at the Medical faculty in Milan. He has written over 150 works in his field. He is currently on staff the Belgrade University.

Political Career: He began as president of the Vracar district committee for SPS. Housing scandals tied to his name have their origins in this district (his opponents claim he owns eight appartments there). He deserted to the ranks of JUL almost immediately after it was founded in 1994. He unsuccesfully ran on this party’s ballot for the Bijelo Polje seat in the Yugoslav Parliament. In 1997, he became President of the JUL committee at the University. In the 1997 parliamentary elections in Serbia, he was elected in the district of Vozdovac as the SPS-JUL-ND coalition representative, and quickly became head of the JUL delegation in the federal parliament. He resigned to move up to the post of deputy Prime Minister of Serbia a year later. He is a member of the JUL Executive Committe. He sits in the Serbian Parliament as well as in the federal Chamber of Republics. He remains Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia.

Views on JUL: A party which will not be a consortium of directors, but a party of “workers, peasants, and intellectuals”. JUL will never become a haven for white-collar criminals. It must remain open to the capable, but close to those capable of anything. JUL will be the fiercest fighter against crime and corruption, which has diseased our society.”

Standing Accusations: Embezzlment over public housing the privatization of state institutions, giving employment away from proper channels......

On His Attitude towards Life: “If you turn around every time the dog barks, you’ll never cross the finish line.”

Will there be war: “Serbia will not and should not fight against the entire world, but it is armed to the teeth with truth and justice."

Words he lives by: “My motto are my people, my profession helps them, and I live for art and literature.”

Self-Evaluation: “Those who appointed me don’t regret it, and neither do I...”