Milan Milutinovic
Encyclopedia
Milan Milutinović is a former President of Serbia
. He served as Director of the National Library of Serbia
(1983–1988), Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
to Greece, Yugoslavia's Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs (1995–1998), and as President of Serbia from 1997 until 2002.
After his presidential term expired in December 2002, he surrendered to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
where he was tried for war crime
s. He was found not guilty on all charges on 26 February 2009.
, Ohio and one of the draftsmen of what subsequently became the Dayton Peace Accords, which lead to the permanent cessation of hostilities in Bosnia-Herzegovina. During his term as Foreign Minister, he also signed several agreements between Yugoslavia and its neighbour and former enemy Croatia
aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries.
's second, the last constitutionally allowable, mandate as the President of Serbia, he was controversially elected the president of Yugoslavia. Milošević's Socialist Party of Serbia
still wanted to retain the Serbian presidency, and their first candidate in the Serbian presidential elections in 1997 was Zoran Lilić. The first two rounds of elections failed as the necessary majority (under the 1990 Constitution) of population failed to vote.
A coalition of Socialist Party of Serbia, Yugoslav Left
and New Democracy decided to change their candidate for the repeated elections, as the leader of the nationalist Serbian Radical Party Vojislav Šešelj
won the plurality against Lilić. Many of the opposition parties, led by the Democratic Party
, boycotted 1997 elections as they expected results manipulation.
Milutinović, a member of Socialist Party of Serbia, was the party's choice after Lilić's failure. In the second round of elections, held in December 1997, he won 59.23% by official count, while 50.98% voters turned out. Parties which boycotted the elections, as well as Vojislav Šešelj, who got 37.57%, still alleged manipulation of the election results.
However, Milutinović was the leader of the Yugoslavian government's negotiation group in Rambouillet
in 1999, a prelude to the NATO campaign against Yugoslavia. He still acted under Milošević's directives.
After Milošević and his party were ousted in 2000 and their political power marginalized on federal, republic and most local levels, Milutinović still remained in the office, as his term did not end until 2002. His powers as the president were trivialized from 2000 to 2002, since his political affiliation did not enjoy popular support and he could not be backed up by any other government branch. Milutinović was out of the eye of public performing only the most basic constitutional obligations without any opposition to the Democratic Opposition of Serbia
coalition.
In 2002, when his mandate expired, the presidential elections were held in which Milutinović did not run. He was succeeded by an acting president Nataša Mićić
.
During the transition to democracy in late 2000, Milutinović refused to support a violent suppression of the October Demonstrations in Belgrade. The smooth relations between him and the new government, while in office, incurred the dislike of Milošević's closest allies, although there has never been an official rupture. At the same time, Milutinović did not enjoy the support of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia, as he in turn was considered, by most of its members, as a close ally of Milošević's. His political campaign during the 1997 Presidential Election “I Srbija i svet”--Both Serbia and the "World" (i.e. the abroad) is also indicative of a middle-of-the-road agenda in a time of high polarization in Serbian politics.
(ICTY) in 2003. He was tried under joint war crimes indictment along with Nikola Šainović
and Dragoljub Ojdanić
.
Milutinović was prosecuted on four counts: deportation, murder as a crime against humanity, murder as violation of laws or customs of war, and "other inhumane acts" during the War in Kosovo. The allegations include responsibility for mass murders at Račak
, Bela Crkva, Mala Kruša and Velika Kruša, Đakovica, Padalište, Izbica, Dubadeva, Mbrca, Vucitrn, Meja, Dubrava, Suva Reka and Kačanik, during 1999.
According to the indictment, Milutinović had personal responsibility as the President of Serbia, with power over various governmental institutions. He was a member of the Yugoslavian Supreme Defense Council, thus making decisions in regard to the Yugoslavian Army. He also had a power to dissolve the Serbian Parliament. According to the indictment, during war time his de jure
powers were extended to ones belonging to the Parliament during peace time, including control of the police, subordinate to the Army at the time. This claim is hotly contested by Milutinović's defense counsel and some constitutional lawyers, as the 1990 Constitution was written in view of Serbia possibly becoming a sovereign, unitary state, due to the impending collapse of Tito's Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (which finally occurred in mid-1991). In reality, Serbia was not sovereign, as it still formed part of Milošević's Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, whose President (Milošević) held the post of commander-in-chief of the armed forces. In addition, according to the defense, the Supreme Defense Council was not exercising operational control over Yugoslav troops, neither de jure nor de facto.
The ICTY Prosecution also claimed that Milutinović, as the President of Serbia, had de facto influence over the Parliament, the Army and the police (Ministry of Internal Affairs).
On 26 February 2009, Milutinović was acquitted on charges of war crime
s. The court ruled that Milutinović had "no direct control over the Yugoslav army
". Judge Iain Bonomy blamed Slobodan Milošević
for the alleged crimes, and said that Milutinović was "not a key player in the ruling political party."
Since his acquittal Milutinović has returned to Belgrade to live.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. He served as Director of the National Library of Serbia
National Library of Serbia
The National Library of Serbia is the national library of Serbia, located in the city of Belgrade, .-History:...
(1983–1988), Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
to Greece, Yugoslavia's Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs (1995–1998), and as President of Serbia from 1997 until 2002.
After his presidential term expired in December 2002, he surrendered to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...
where he was tried for war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s. He was found not guilty on all charges on 26 February 2009.
Foreign Minister
Following a six-year term as Yugoslavia’s Ambassador to Greece (between 1992 and 1996, Milutinović was Yugoslavia’s only Ambassador to a Western state, as, due to the UN embargo imposed in May 1992, new ambassadors could not be appointed, while Milutinović was never withdrawn by Belgrade), Milutinović was appointed Yugoslavia’s Foreign Minister in 1995. In November 1995, he was one of the leading negotiators during the Bosnia peace negotiations in DaytonDayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Ohio and one of the draftsmen of what subsequently became the Dayton Peace Accords, which lead to the permanent cessation of hostilities in Bosnia-Herzegovina. During his term as Foreign Minister, he also signed several agreements between Yugoslavia and its neighbour and former enemy 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 ...
aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries.
Elections
After Slobodan MiloševićSlobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
's second, the last constitutionally allowable, mandate as the President of Serbia, he was controversially elected the president of Yugoslavia. Milošević's Socialist Party of Serbia
Socialist Party of Serbia
The Socialist Party of Serbia is officially a democratic socialist political party in Serbia. It is also widely recognized as a de facto Serbian nationalist party, though the party itself does not officially acknowledge this...
still wanted to retain the Serbian presidency, and their first candidate in the Serbian presidential elections in 1997 was Zoran Lilić. The first two rounds of elections failed as the necessary majority (under the 1990 Constitution) of population failed to vote.
A coalition of Socialist Party of Serbia, Yugoslav Left
Yugoslav Left
Yugoslav Left was a left-wing political party in Serbia and Montenegro. It was formed in 1994 as is a coalition of 23 left-wing and communist parties, led by the League of Communists - Movement for Yugoslavia . It has been led by Mirjana Marković, the wife of Slobodan Milošević...
and New Democracy decided to change their candidate for the repeated elections, as the leader of the nationalist Serbian Radical Party Vojislav Šešelj
Vojislav Šešelj
Vojislav Šešelj, JD is a Serbian politician, writer and lawyer. He is the founder and president of the Serbian Radical Party and was vice-president of Serbia between 1998 and 2000...
won the plurality against Lilić. Many of the opposition parties, led by the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Serbia)
The Democratic Party is a political party in Serbia. It is described as a social liberal or social democratic party.-Pre-war history:The Democratic Party was established on 16 February 1919 from unification of Sarajevo parties independent radicals, progressives, liberals and the Serbian part of...
, boycotted 1997 elections as they expected results manipulation.
Milutinović, a member of Socialist Party of Serbia, was the party's choice after Lilić's failure. In the second round of elections, held in December 1997, he won 59.23% by official count, while 50.98% voters turned out. Parties which boycotted the elections, as well as Vojislav Šešelj, who got 37.57%, still alleged manipulation of the election results.
Presidency
As Milošević became the President of the Yugoslav Federation, political power shifted to the federal level along with him, and Milutinović de facto enjoyed little political influence.However, Milutinović was the leader of the Yugoslavian government's negotiation group in Rambouillet
Rambouillet
Rambouillet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is located in the suburbs of Paris southwest from the center...
in 1999, a prelude to the NATO campaign against Yugoslavia. He still acted under Milošević's directives.
After Milošević and his party were ousted in 2000 and their political power marginalized on federal, republic and most local levels, Milutinović still remained in the office, as his term did not end until 2002. His powers as the president were trivialized from 2000 to 2002, since his political affiliation did not enjoy popular support and he could not be backed up by any other government branch. Milutinović was out of the eye of public performing only the most basic constitutional obligations without any opposition to the Democratic Opposition of Serbia
Democratic Opposition of Serbia
The Democratic Opposition of Serbia was a wide alliance of political parties in Serbia , formed as a coalition against the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia and its leader, Slobodan Milošević in 2000...
coalition.
In 2002, when his mandate expired, the presidential elections were held in which Milutinović did not run. He was succeeded by an acting president Nataša Mićić
Nataša Micic
Nataša Mićić is a Serbian politician. She is an MP in the Serbian parliament and the vice-president of the Liberal Democratic Party ....
.
During the transition to democracy in late 2000, Milutinović refused to support a violent suppression of the October Demonstrations in Belgrade. The smooth relations between him and the new government, while in office, incurred the dislike of Milošević's closest allies, although there has never been an official rupture. At the same time, Milutinović did not enjoy the support of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia, as he in turn was considered, by most of its members, as a close ally of Milošević's. His political campaign during the 1997 Presidential Election “I Srbija i svet”--Both Serbia and the "World" (i.e. the abroad) is also indicative of a middle-of-the-road agenda in a time of high polarization in Serbian politics.
ICTY indictment
Upon the expiry of his term in office, Milutinović turned himself in to International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaInternational Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...
(ICTY) in 2003. He was tried under joint war crimes indictment along with Nikola Šainović
Nikola Šainovic
Nikola Šainović , born 7 December 1948 in Bor, Serbia, Yugoslavia) is a former Prime Minister of Serbia of Montenegrin descent...
and Dragoljub Ojdanić
Dragoljub Ojdanic
Dragoljub Ojdanić was former Chief of the General Staff and Defence minister of Yugoslavia...
.
Milutinović was prosecuted on four counts: deportation, murder as a crime against humanity, murder as violation of laws or customs of war, and "other inhumane acts" during the War in Kosovo. The allegations include responsibility for mass murders at Račak
Racak incident
Operation Račak , also known as the Račak Massacre , "The Račak Incident", "The Račak case" and "The Račak Hoax" of 15 January 1999 was the killing of 45 Kosovo Albanians in the village of Račak by either combat or murder in central Kosovo...
, Bela Crkva, Mala Kruša and Velika Kruša, Đakovica, Padalište, Izbica, Dubadeva, Mbrca, Vucitrn, Meja, Dubrava, Suva Reka and Kačanik, during 1999.
According to the indictment, Milutinović had personal responsibility as the President of Serbia, with power over various governmental institutions. He was a member of the Yugoslavian Supreme Defense Council, thus making decisions in regard to the Yugoslavian Army. He also had a power to dissolve the Serbian Parliament. According to the indictment, during war time his de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
powers were extended to ones belonging to the Parliament during peace time, including control of the police, subordinate to the Army at the time. This claim is hotly contested by Milutinović's defense counsel and some constitutional lawyers, as the 1990 Constitution was written in view of Serbia possibly becoming a sovereign, unitary state, due to the impending collapse of Tito's Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (which finally occurred in mid-1991). In reality, Serbia was not sovereign, as it still formed part of Milošević's Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, whose President (Milošević) held the post of commander-in-chief of the armed forces. In addition, according to the defense, the Supreme Defense Council was not exercising operational control over Yugoslav troops, neither de jure nor de facto.
The ICTY Prosecution also claimed that Milutinović, as the President of Serbia, had de facto influence over the Parliament, the Army and the police (Ministry of Internal Affairs).
On 26 February 2009, Milutinović was acquitted on charges of war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s. The court ruled that Milutinović had "no direct control over the Yugoslav army
Yugoslav Army
Aside from the Yugoslav People's Army, the terms Yugoslav Army, Army of Yugoslavia, or Military of Yugoslavia may refer to:* Yugoslav Partisans , the Yugoslav resistance army during World War II...
". Judge Iain Bonomy blamed Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
for the alleged crimes, and said that Milutinović was "not a key player in the ruling political party."
Since his acquittal Milutinović has returned to Belgrade to live.
External links
- Low turnout hits Serbian election; The Scotsman; 17 Nov 2003.
- BETA's chronology of Serbian elections, in Serbian
- ICTY indictment, PDF format.
- Provisional Release Press Release
- Picture Milan Milutinovic located at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1156545/War-crimes-court-clears-ex-Serbian-president-Kosovo-massacres--officials-jailed-22-years.html