Ante Jelavic
Encyclopedia
Ante Jelavić is a Croat politician and former Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
Jelavić was born in 1963 in Podprolog, Vrgorac
, Croatia
, then Yugoslavia
, and was elected to the post as a candidate of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
Ante Jelavić served as Chairman of the Presidency from June 15, 1999, to February 14, 2000. He was removed from his position on the three-member Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina by decision of the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, in March 2001. Petritsch justified his decision by observing that Jelavić had "directly violated the constitutional order of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and of Bosnia and Herzegovina"; in particular he cited Jelavić's leading role in the 'Croat National Assembly' rally in Mostar of March 3, 2001, calling for a separate governing entity for Bosnian Croats.
On January 22, 2004, Jelavić was arrested in his home in Mostar
, on charges of corruption
.
On November 4, 2005, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo found Jelavić guilty of abuse of office, embezzlement of office, and lack of commitment in office. The findings of guilt related, in part, to the use of funds from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Defence to purchase shares in banking and insurance firms Hercegovačka Banka and Herzegovina Osiguranje. Judge Malcolm Simmons presided, A sentence of ten years imprisonment was subsequently pronounced, although Jelavić was not present at the sentencing hearing and remained at large.
Dragan Barbarić, acting for Jelavić in his absence, initiated a successful appeal against the first instance verdict on the grounds that it lacked proper factual description of the offence and as such was in violation of criminal procedural law. The verdict revoked, the appeal panel, presided over by Judge Nedžad Popovac, has called for new proceedings in which evidence presented at the first trial will be re-presented and in which new evidence may be presented too.
Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the head of state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Overview:...
.
Jelavić was born in 1963 in Podprolog, Vrgorac
Vrgorac
Vrgorac is a town in Croatia in the Split-Dalmatia County.The total population of Vrgorac is 6,501 , in the following settlements:* Banja, population 214* Dragljane, population 47* Draževitići, population 204* Duge Njive, population 106...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, then Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, and was elected to the post as a candidate of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is an observer member of the European People's Party ....
.
Ante Jelavić served as Chairman of the Presidency from June 15, 1999, to February 14, 2000. He was removed from his position on the three-member Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina by decision of the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, in March 2001. Petritsch justified his decision by observing that Jelavić had "directly violated the constitutional order of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and of Bosnia and Herzegovina"; in particular he cited Jelavić's leading role in the 'Croat National Assembly' rally in Mostar of March 3, 2001, calling for a separate governing entity for Bosnian Croats.
On January 22, 2004, Jelavić was arrested in his home in Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
, on charges of corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
.
On November 4, 2005, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo found Jelavić guilty of abuse of office, embezzlement of office, and lack of commitment in office. The findings of guilt related, in part, to the use of funds from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Defence to purchase shares in banking and insurance firms Hercegovačka Banka and Herzegovina Osiguranje. Judge Malcolm Simmons presided, A sentence of ten years imprisonment was subsequently pronounced, although Jelavić was not present at the sentencing hearing and remained at large.
Dragan Barbarić, acting for Jelavić in his absence, initiated a successful appeal against the first instance verdict on the grounds that it lacked proper factual description of the offence and as such was in violation of criminal procedural law. The verdict revoked, the appeal panel, presided over by Judge Nedžad Popovac, has called for new proceedings in which evidence presented at the first trial will be re-presented and in which new evidence may be presented too.