Miroslav Miškovic
Encyclopedia
Miroslav Mišković (born July 5, 1945 in Bošnjane village, Varvarin
municipality, Serbia
, Democratic Federal Yugoslavia
) is a Serbia
n businessman, the owner of Delta Holding
. He is considered to be the second richest person in Serbia, behind Philip Zepter
, with a wealth estimated at approximately $
2 billion as of 2007, according to the list of 100 wealthiest persons of the post-communist countries made by Polish
magazine Wprost
. Mišković holds 42nd place on this list, but is fifth among the tycoons outside the former Soviet Union
. According to the 2007 list of the richest people in the world, published annually by Forbes magazine
, Mišković is a newcomer to this list, taking the 891st spot, with a net worth of $
1 billion. He is the first person from Serbia to enter this list.
Mišković was born in Bošnjane, Varvarin
municipality, and he graduated from high school in Kruševac
, before moving to Belgrade
and graduating from the University of Belgrade
Faculty of Economics
in 1971. Afterwards, he worked at Jugobanka and Trayal in Kruševac until 1977, when he moved to Župa Chemical Industries in Kruševac
. There, he became financial director in 1984 and chief executive
in 1987, holding this position until 1990, when he was appointed a Serbian deputy prime minister. Mišković held office for only six months. Meanwhile, Mišković founded Delta M (Delta M being a sort of abbreviation of his initials - double M), a company that became very successful in the following years, during the Yugoslav wars
and under the regime of Slobodan Milošević
. Soon afterwards, he launched Delta banka
(sold to Banca Intesa
in 2005), that was to become the first part of Mišković's extremely successful Delta Holding
corporation that is involved in agribusiness, retail sales, distribution, financial brokerage, real estate development and insurance.
Mišković's connection to Slobodan Milošević
was never obvious, except for his short stint as deputy prime minister in 1990. After the overthrow of Milošević's regime
, Mišković was linked to Dušan Mihajlović
, the minister of police at the time, and the other leaders of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia
coalition.
After 5 October 2000, Mišković took an advantage of privatisation and started building his empire. As he has managed to purchase most of large companies post Djindjic murder, it is often argued that Mišković was 'buying Serbia' with money that was taken out to Cyprus during Milosevic reign.
Mišković is today considered to be a figure of great influence on the leading politicians in Serbia.
Mišković was abducted on 9 April 2001, but was released the next day, when the ransom (estimated at about DM
7 million) was paid 18 hours later. After the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić 12 March 2003, the abduction of Mišković was attributed to the same group that has been convicted of the death of the prime minister and other similar crimes.
Varvarin
Varvarin is a small town and municipality in the Šumadija region of central Serbia. Population of the town is 2,133, and population of the municipality is 17,772. It is part of the Rasina District of Serbia.-Features:...
municipality, Serbia
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...
, Democratic Federal Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
) is a Serbia
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...
n businessman, the owner of Delta Holding
Delta Holding
Delta Holding is the third largest company in Serbia. The company was founded in Belgrade. Delta Holding performs a variety of services, such as import-export,real-estate , banking, insurance, retail, wholesale, etc. The president is Miroslav Mišković...
. He is considered to be the second richest person in Serbia, behind Philip Zepter
Philip Zepter
Milan Janković , most known as Philip Zepter is a Serbian entrepreneur and one of the richest Serbs in the world with an estimated net worth of $5 billion....
, with a wealth estimated at approximately $
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
2 billion as of 2007, according to the list of 100 wealthiest persons of the post-communist countries made by Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
magazine Wprost
Wprost
Wprost is a weekly newsmagazine in Poland. It was founded on December 5, 1982 as a regional magazine in Greater Poland, but since 1989 it has been distributed nationwide. The editorial office is currently located in Warsaw. Wprost is an opinion weekly focused on politics and society. Marek Król is...
. Mišković holds 42nd place on this list, but is fifth among the tycoons outside the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. According to the 2007 list of the richest people in the world, published annually by Forbes magazine
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
, Mišković is a newcomer to this list, taking the 891st spot, with a net worth of $
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
1 billion. He is the first person from Serbia to enter this list.
Mišković was born in Bošnjane, Varvarin
Varvarin
Varvarin is a small town and municipality in the Šumadija region of central Serbia. Population of the town is 2,133, and population of the municipality is 17,772. It is part of the Rasina District of Serbia.-Features:...
municipality, and he graduated from high school in Kruševac
Kruševac
Kruševac is a city and municipality, and the administrative center of the Rasina District, in central Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the municipality has a population of 127,429, while the town has 57,627....
, before moving to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and graduating from the University of Belgrade
University of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
Faculty of Economics
University of Belgrade Faculty of Economics
The University of Belgrade Faculty of Economics is one of the educational institutions of the University of Belgrade, Serbia. The building is located in the city center of Belgrade...
in 1971. Afterwards, he worked at Jugobanka and Trayal in Kruševac until 1977, when he moved to Župa Chemical Industries in Kruševac
Kruševac
Kruševac is a city and municipality, and the administrative center of the Rasina District, in central Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the municipality has a population of 127,429, while the town has 57,627....
. There, he became financial director in 1984 and chief executive
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
in 1987, holding this position until 1990, when he was appointed a Serbian deputy prime minister. Mišković held office for only six months. Meanwhile, Mišković founded Delta M (Delta M being a sort of abbreviation of his initials - double M), a company that became very successful in the following years, during the Yugoslav wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
and under the regime of 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...
. Soon afterwards, he launched Delta banka
Banca Intesa Beograd
Banca Intesa Beograd is a bank operating in Serbia, majority owned by Italian Intesa Sanpaolo and other 7% by International Financial Corporation, World Bank....
(sold to Banca Intesa
Banca Intesa
Banca Intesa S.p.A. was formed in 1998 from the merger of Cassa di Risparmio delle Provincie Lombarde and Banco Ambroveneto...
in 2005), that was to become the first part of Mišković's extremely successful Delta Holding
Delta Holding
Delta Holding is the third largest company in Serbia. The company was founded in Belgrade. Delta Holding performs a variety of services, such as import-export,real-estate , banking, insurance, retail, wholesale, etc. The president is Miroslav Mišković...
corporation that is involved in agribusiness, retail sales, distribution, financial brokerage, real estate development and insurance.
Mišković's connection to 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...
was never obvious, except for his short stint as deputy prime minister in 1990. After the overthrow of Milošević's regime
5th October Overthrow
A series of events occurred in 2000 in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, following the presidential elections and culminating in the downfall of Slobodan Milošević's regime on 5 October 2000...
, Mišković was linked to Dušan Mihajlović
Dušan Mihajlovic (politician)
Dušan Mihajlović is a Serbian politician. Mihajlović was the founder and president of the New Democracy political party with its base in Valjevo, Serbia. Mihajlović earned a degree from the University of Belgrade's Law School...
, the minister of police at the time, and the other leaders of 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.
After 5 October 2000, Mišković took an advantage of privatisation and started building his empire. As he has managed to purchase most of large companies post Djindjic murder, it is often argued that Mišković was 'buying Serbia' with money that was taken out to Cyprus during Milosevic reign.
Mišković is today considered to be a figure of great influence on the leading politicians in Serbia.
Mišković was abducted on 9 April 2001, but was released the next day, when the ransom (estimated at about DM
German mark
The Deutsche Mark |mark]], abbreviated "DM") was the official currency of West Germany and Germany until the adoption of the euro in 2002. It is commonly called the "Deutschmark" in English but not in German. Germans often say "Mark" or "D-Mark"...
7 million) was paid 18 hours later. After the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić 12 March 2003, the abduction of Mišković was attributed to the same group that has been convicted of the death of the prime minister and other similar crimes.