Miroslav Markićević

Miroslav Markićević (Serbian Cyrillic: Мирослав Маркићевић; born March 18, 1958) is a politician in Serbia. He served in the National Assembly of Serbia from 2001 to 2020 as a member of New Serbia.

Early life and career

Markićević was born in Čačak, then part of the People's Republic of Serbia in the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. He is a mechanical technician in private life and worked for many years at the Vinča Nuclear Institute in Belgrade before returning to his hometown.[1][2]

Political career

Markićević joined the Serbian Renewal Movement (Srpski pokret obnove, SPO) in Čačak in 1990, after multi-party democracy was re-introduced in Yugoslavia. Like many in the party, he opposed the Serbian government's military policies in the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. When the SPO experienced a split in 1998, Markićević joined the breakaway New Serbia party, became president of its executive committee in Čačak, and emerged as a prominent local opponent of Yugoslav president Slobodan Milošević's administration.

During the Kosovo War, Markićević helped organize a "citizen's assembly" in Čačak; this group issued a press release that outlined the crimes of Serbian police in Kosovo and Metohija. He later helped organize a major rally against Milošević following the war's conclusion.[3][4] In June 2000, he served as co-ordinator of the "Alliance for Change," which united several opposition parties to contest upcoming local elections in Čačak as a single electoral list.[5]

Member of the National Assembly

New Serbia contested the 2000 Serbian parliamentary election as part of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia, a broad alliance that included several opposition parties. Markićević received the 108th position on the coalition's electoral list and was selected as part of New Serbia's delegation to the assembly after the list won a landslide majority with 176 out of 250 mandates.[6] (From 2000 to 2011, Serbian parliamentary mandates were awarded to sponsoring parties or coalitions rather than to individual candidates, and it was common practice for mandates to be awarded out of numerical order. While Markićević did not automatically receive a mandate by virtue of his position on the list, he was in fact chosen to serve and took his seat when the parliament met in 2001.)[7] New Serbia was part of the Serbia's new government until 2002, when it crossed over to the opposition.

New Serbia ran in an alliance with the Serbian Renewal Movement in the 2003 parliamentary election. Markićević received the twenty-first position on the combined list and was again selected to serve in the assembly after the list won twenty-two mandates.[8][9] After this election, New Serbia joined a new administration led by Vojislav Koštunica and Markićević again served as a supporter of the administration.

In 2006, when Montenegro seceded from the country Serbia and Montenegro following a referendum, Markićević argued that the people of the Republika Srpska should have a similar right to determine their status via a popular vote. He was quoted as saying, "I heard a few days ago that [Republika Srpska prime minister Milorad Dodik] had unofficially proposed to the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security, a threshold of 90 per cent for the independence of the Serb Republic. This is when we come to the question of the international community and its justice. If someone gets to choose their state with 55 per cent [Montenegro's threshold], why deny others to make that decision with 90 per cent?"[10]

For the 2007 parliamentary election, New Serbia ran in an alliance with the Democratic Party of Serbia (Demokratska stranka Srbije, DSS), and the combined list won forty-seven mandates. Markićević received the thirty-fourth position on the alliance's list and was again selected to serve in its assembly delegation.[11][12] He was the chair of New Serbia's executive committee during this time and represented the party in talks with Serbian president Boris Tadić on the appointment of a new prime minister following the election.[13][14] Koštunica was ultimately appointed to a new term as prime minister, and New Serbia remained part of the government. When the assembly convened, Markićević served as deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Serbia–New Serbia parliamentary group.[15]

A media report in 2007 described Markićević as one of two New Serbia representatives considered as best positioned to succeed party leader Velimir Ilić, were Ilić to resign his position.[16]

New Serbia continued its alliance with the Democratic Party of Serbia into the 2008 parliamentary election. Markićević received the thirtieth position on the combined list, the list won exactly thirty mandates, and he was again chosen as part of New Serbia's delegation.[17][18] A new administration was ultimately formed under the leadership of the rival Democratic Party (Demokratska stranka, DS) following the election, and New Serbia again moved into opposition. Markićević served as the party's deputy leader in the next sitting of the assembly and was a member of the parliamentary security committee.[19][20]

Markićević strongly opposed Montenegro's recognition of the independence of Kosovo in 2008, describing the decision as "worse than if the entire world had recognised Kosovo"; he later opposed a suggestion by Milorad Dodik that Kosovo could be partitioned.[21][22] He also spoke against the planned participation of Serbian officers in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) exercises in Georgia that were opposed by Russia, saying it made no sense for Serbia to involve itself in a "tug-of-war" between the NATO and Russia.[23]

Serbia's electoral system was reformed in 2011, such that parliamentary mandates were awarded in numerical order to candidates on successful lists. New Serbia joined the Progressive Party's Let's Get Serbia Moving coalition for the 2012 parliamentary election. Markićević was given the fifty-second position on the alliance's electoral list and was elected when the list won seventy-three mandates.[24] After the election, New Serbia joined a coalition government led by the Progressive Party; Markićević returned to the government side in the assembly and served as party whip.

He criticized the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia's 2008 acquittal of Croatian generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač for crimes against humanity, describing the decision as proof that the court was a political entity serving the will of powerful countries.[25]

New Serbia continued its alliance with the Progressive Party through the elections of 2014 and 2016. Markićević received high list positions each time and was re-elected when the alliance won landslide victories on both occasions.[26]

New Serbia leader Velimir Ilić withdrew his support from the Progressive Party and the administration of prime minister Aleksandar Vučić in January 2017. This decision precipitated a split in the New Serbia caucus. Three of New Serbia's five elected members left the party and continued to support Vučić's administration, while the remaining two (Markićević and Goran Pekarski) moved into opposition and joined with other parliamentarians to create a new caucus called New Serbia–Movement for Serbia's Salvation. In October 2017, Pekarski also left New Serbia to re-align himself with Vučić's administration, leaving Markićević as the only remaining member of his party in the assembly.[27]

Markićević currently serves as deputy leader of the New Serbia–Movement for Serbia's Salvation group. He is a member of Serbia's parliamentary friendship group with Russia.[28]

References
  1. MIROSLAV MARKIĆEVIĆ, Otvoreni Parlament, accessed 24 November 2017.
  2. Ladumer von Ulrich, "Ziviler Ungehorsam," FACTS, 20 April 2000, p. 68.
  3. "Thousands flock to anti-Milosevic rally in central Serbia," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring Newsfile, 29 June 1999 (Source: Pancevo Radio in Serbo-Croat 29 Jun 99).
  4. Ladumer von Ulrich, "Ziviler Ungehorsam," FACTS, 20 April 2000, p. 68.
  5. "Opposition parties in Serbian town form electoral alliance," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European - Political, 19 June 2000 (Source: Beta news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1401 gmt 19 Jun 00).
  6. Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине одржани 23. децембра 2000. године и 10. јануара 2001. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (Демократска опозиција Србије – др Војислав Коштуница (Демократска странка, Демократска странка Србије, Социјалдемократија, Грађански савез Србије, Демохришћанска странка Србије, Нова Србија, Покрет за демократску Србију, Лига социјалдемократа Војводине, Реформска демократска странка Војводине, Коалиција Војводина, Савез војвођанских Мађара, Демократска алтернатива, Демократски центар, Нова демократија, Социјалдемократска унија, Санxачка демократска партија, Лига за Шумадију, Српски покрет отпора – Демократски покрет) Archived 2017-03-11 at the Wayback Machine, Republika Srbija - Republička izborna komisija, accessed 30 March 2017. Markićević is listed as a delegate at the first meeting of the 2001–04 assembly at PRVA KONSTITUTIVNA SEDNICA, 22.01.2001 Otvoreni Parlament, accessed 24 November 2017.
  7. Serbia's Law on the Election of Representatives (2000) stipulated that parliamentary mandates would be awarded to electoral lists (Article 80) that crossed the electoral threshold (Article 81), that mandates would be given to candidates appearing on the relevant lists (Article 83), and that the submitters of the lists were responsible for selecting their parliamentary delegations within ten days of the final results being published (Article 84). See Law on the Election of Representatives, Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 35/2000, made available via LegislationOnline, accessed 28 February 2017.
  8. Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине одржани 28. децембра 2003. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (СРПСКИ ПОКРЕТ ОБНОВЕ - НОВА СРБИЈА - ВУК ДРАШКОВИЋ - ВЕЛИМИР ИЛИЋ) Archived 2017-07-26 at the Wayback Machine, Republika Srbija - Republička izborna komisija, accessed 7 April 2017.
  9. 27 January 2004 legislature, National Assembly of Serbia, accessed 24 November 2017.
  10. "Parties in Serbia support call for Bosnian Serb entity independence referendum," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 31 May 2006 (Source: Dnevnik, Novi Sad, in Serbian 30 May 06).
  11. Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине одржани 21. јануара и 8. фебрауара 2007. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (Демократска странка Србије - Нова Србија - др Војислав Коштуница) Archived 2018-04-30 at the Wayback Machine, Republika Srbija - Republička izborna komisija, accessed 26 April 2017.
  12. 14 February 2007 legislature, National Assembly of Serbia, accessed 22 May 2017.
  13. "Serbian president holds consultations with PM's party, Kosovo plan insisted on," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 30 January 2007 (Source: Radio B92 text website, Belgrade, in English 1332 gmt 30 Jan 07).
  14. "Serbian president consults DSS-NS, G17 Plus on government formation," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 31 January 2007 (Source: Radio Belgrade in Serbian 1400 gmt 30 Jan 07).
  15. "Political agreement offered to Belgrade by EU divides political scene in Serbia," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 6 February 2008 (Source: Radio Belgrade in Serbian 1400 gmt 5 Feb 08).
  16. "Serbian daily accuses parties of being leader-dominated, undemocratic," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 22 September 2007 (Source: Vecernje novosti, Belgrade, in Serbian 15 Sep 07 p4).
  17. Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине одржани 11. маја 2008. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (Демократска Странка Србије - Нова Србија - Војислав Коштуница) Archived 2018-04-30 at the Wayback Machine, Republika Srbija - Republička izborna komisija, accessed 26 April 2017.
  18. 11 June 2008 legislature, National Assembly of Serbia, accessed 24 November 2017.
  19. "Serbian opposition demands CGS dismissal for intruding into political sphere," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 26 December 2008 (Source: Radio Belgrade in Serbian 1400 gmt 24 Dec 08).
  20. "Serbian authorities investigating threats against president on Facebook," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 4 May 2010.
  21. Pierre Glachant, "Montenegro's Kosovo recognition infuriates Serbia," Agence France Presse, 10 October 2008.
  22. "Serbian politicians, Kosovo Serb leaders reject idea of Kosovo partition," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 16 March 2010 (Source: Glas javnosti website, Belgrade, in Serbian 15 Mar 10).
  23. "Opposition against Serbian involvement in NATO drills in Georgia," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 26 April 2009 (Source: Glas javnosti website, Belgrade, in Serbian 22 Apr 09).
  24. Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине, 6. мај 2012. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (POKRENIMO SRBIJU - TOMISLAV NIKOLIĆ) Archived 2017-09-11 at the Wayback Machine, Republika Srbija - Republička izborna komisija, accessed 26 January 2017.
  25. "Croatian generals' acquittal prompts condemnation from Serbian public - paper," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 23 November 2012 (Source: Politika website, Belgrade, in Serbian 19 Nov 12).
  26. Filipovski received the thirty-fifth position in 2014 (when the alliance won 158 seats) and the thirty-first position in 2016 (when it won 131 seats). See Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине одржани 16. и 23. марта 2014. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (ALEKSANDAR VUČIĆ - BUDUĆNOST U KOJU VERUJEMO) Archived 2018-05-06 at the Wayback Machine, Republika Srbija - Republička izborna komisija, accessed 26 January 2017; Избори за народне посланике 2016. године » Изборне листе (АЛЕКСАНДАР ВУЧИЋ - СРБИЈА ПОБЕЂУЈЕ) Archived 2018-04-27 at the Wayback Machine, Republika Srbija - Republička izborna komisija, accessed 17 February 2017.
  27. "Od Velje u SNS i POKS", Novosti, 19 October 2017, accessed 24 November 2017.
  28. MIROSLAV MARKICEVIC, National Assembly of Serbia, accessed 24 November 2017.
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