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Vojislav Koštunica (Serbian Cyrillic: Војислав Коштуница, pronounced [ˈvɔjislaːv kɔˈʃtunitsa] (
[edit] Career  Born in Belgrade, Koštunica graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School with a Ph.D.. He lost his job as Professor of Law at that institution in 1974, after criticizing Josip Broz Tito's Communist government. In 1989, he became one of the founders of the Democratic Party. He left the Democratic Party in July 1992 over opposing views in leadership and formed the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), of which he is still president. Koštunica is a conservative politician with no connection to the old Communist Party (from which Slobodan Milošević's party originated). Supported by both nationalistic and pro-Western voters, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia backed him in the presidential election of September 2000. After turbulent events of October 2000, Koštunica was finally declared the winner of the election and remained president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia until February 2003, when the state was replaced by Serbia and Montenegro and the position he held was abolished. Koštunica opposed the extradition of his predecessor, Slobodan Milošević, and has stated his opposition to the Hague Tribunal several times. Following the parliamentary elections in December 2003, in which the DSS emerged as the largest of the pro-EU parties, Koštunica became prime minister in March 2004 at the head of the new minority government of Serbia, albeit with the support of the Socialist Party of Serbia. However, as a result of the bad showing of the government candidate Dragan Maršićanin in the Serbian presidential election, 2004, Koštunica announced that fresh parliamentary elections should be expected by the end of the year just following the adoption of a new Constitution for Serbia. Since then, the minority government of Vojislav Koštunica has maintained a frail coalition government. In 15 May 2007, after a brief crisis in his coalition, he was sworn in for his second term as prime minister. [edit] KosovoOn 21 February 2008, following Kosovo's declaration of independence, Kostunica made an emotional speech in Belgrade, which included the following:
On 25 February 2008, Koštunica demanded that the United States rescind its recognition of Kosovo, warning that "there will be no stability" until the "fake state" is annulled.[2] On 8 March 2008, Koštunica, as Prime Minister of Serbia, called for new elections on 11 May after the collapse of his party's coalition with the Democratic Party over European Union issues and Kosovo's declaration of independence.[3] [edit] European UnionOn 4 April 2008, Koštunica stated that EU membership is no longer on agenda for Serbia. He said that before EU accession continuation Serbia and EU must discuss the matter of borders and Serbia’s territorial integrity.[4] He said that Serbia must not by no means sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. He referred to the agreement as «Solana's agreement».[5] On 21 April 2008 Koštunica said that the SAA is in the interests of Olli Rehn and Javier Solana and not in Serbia's state interests. He also said that "NATO pact cannot claim that Serbia recognized Kosovo’s independence with that signature." and that "the only thing the NATO pact will be able to claim is that individual parties signed Solana’s agreement.".[6] On 27 April 2008 he said that anyone who signed the SAA on behalf of Serbia would become an accomplice to tearing Serbia apart. He also implied there is a cover-up of something in the agreement by saying: "I am convinced every Serbian sees that things are being covered up, and that there is something seriously amiss with the Solana agreement." and he asked "who in Serbia dares to ignore these facts and conceal the real goal of Solana's agreement.".[7] On 28 April 2008 he said that "the signature will not be valid for Serbia and whoever signs the SAA will have to assume responsibility for such an act".[8] On 1 May 2008 Koštunica said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was right when he said that the SAA should have been signed but one day later on 2 May 2008 he vowed to annul the agreement after the election, calling it "a trick", "Solana's agreement" and "the Tadić-Đelić SAA signature".[9][10] He said he refers to the act of signing of the SAA as anti-Constitutional and anti-state that leads to the breakup of Serbia.[11] Spokesperson of Koštunica's Democratic Party of Serbia stated that Tadić was putting a seal of Judas of his party coalition to the Solana Agreement by signing it.[12] On 4 May he called the document "a forgery and a trick".[13] [edit] First cabinet (2004-2007)
[edit] Second cabinet (2007-2008)
[edit] Personal lifeKoštunica lives with his wife and fellow lawyer, Zorica Radović, Ph.D. He is a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Koštunica loves dogs, and he has one called Zuca. [edit] References
[edit] External links
Categories: Presidents of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | 20th-century national presidents in Europe | 21st-century national presidents in Europe | Serbian politicians | Prime Ministers of Serbia | Serbian Orthodox Christians | Eastern Orthodox Christians from Serbia | 1944 births | Living people | People from Belgrade | Serbian democracy activists | Belgrade Law School alumni | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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