Miroljub Labus
Encyclopedia
Miroljub Labus (born February 28, 1947 in Mala Krsna
, Serbia
FPR Yugoslavia) is a Serbia
n economist and politician. Currently he's a University of Belgrade
professor, lecturing political economy
at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law
. He's also the owner of Belox Advisory Services, a consulting firm.
He was the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia from March 2004, serving under PM Vojislav Koštunica
, but resigned on May 3, 2006, after EU
suspended enlargement talks with Serbia, over Ratko Mladić
. Labus also resigned from the position of President of G17 Plus
.
, Smederevo
, SFR Yugoslavia. He graduated law in 1970 from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law
. This was followed by two postgraduate qualifications in economics.
.
Labus was a senior adviser at the Federal Statistics Bureau (Savezni zavod za statistiku) in Belgrade between 1986 and 1994. Since 1993, he has been a researcher at Belgrade's Economics Institute. He edited the Federal Bureau of Statistics's Economic Trend publication from 1990 to 1996, and the Belgrade Economics Institute's Economic Barometer from 1994 to 2000. Labus has also been involved with the National Bank of Yugoslavia and World Bank
.
to the federal parliament of what was then FR Yugoslavia. While in this role, he was a member of the Monetary Policy Committee. In 1994, he was promoted to Vice-President of the Democratic Party
, under Zoran Đinđić. He held the position until 1997.
In 1999, he became President of the Administrative Board of the G17 Plus movement. It was then a lobby group focused on encouraging economic reforms within Serbia. G17 Plus soon become a powerful lobby group, with significant public support. In 2000, he left the board of G17 Plus, taking up a position as Deputy Prime Minister of Yugoslavia and Minister for International Economic Relations (in the federal government following the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević
).
During the leadup to the fall 2002 presidential elections in Serbia, it became apparent that then-Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić did not have the appeal to match Koštunica, who had switched from the federal parliament to the state parliament. Đinđić agreed to back Koštunica's former ally, Labus, as an alternative candidate. In the resulting election, Koštunica defeated Labus, but as the election did not gain the required 50% voter turnout, the result was declared void. As such, Labus continued on in his position for another year.
Labus continued working with G17 Plus, and in late 2002, he began the process of transforming the lobby group into a full-fledged centrist political party, becoming its President. After the elections of December 2003, Labus and his party formed a minority coalition with the Democratic Party of Serbia
and several other minor parties, in order to keep ultra-nationalist Tomislav Nikolić
out of power. As a result, he retained both his deputy prime ministership and his other ministries.
Mala Krsna
Mala Krsna is a village of about 1800 people near Smederevo, Serbia.It is known as a second biggest railroad knot in Serbia, despite other greater centers. Also it is known by Najdan's circles. It is believed that they have a healing power....
, 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...
FPR Yugoslavia) 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 economist and politician. Currently he's a 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...
professor, lecturing political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law
University of Belgrade Faculty of Law
The University of Belgrade Faculty of Law , also known as the Belgrade Law School, is one of the first-tier educational institutions of the University of Belgrade, Serbia...
. He's also the owner of Belox Advisory Services, a consulting firm.
He was the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia from March 2004, serving under PM Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
, but resigned on May 3, 2006, after EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
suspended enlargement talks with Serbia, over Ratko Mladić
Ratko Mladić
Ratko Mladić is an accused war criminal and a former Bosnian Serb military leader. On May 31, 2011, Mladić was extradited to The Hague, where he was processed at the detention center that holds suspects for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia...
. Labus also resigned from the position of President of G17 Plus
G17 Plus
G17 Plus , abbreviated to G17+, is a centre-right political party in Serbia. With 22 seats in the National Assembly, it is the third-largest party, and currently participates in a coalition with, amongst others, the Democratic Party and the Socialist Party...
.
Early life and education
Labus was born in the town of Mala KrsnaMala Krsna
Mala Krsna is a village of about 1800 people near Smederevo, Serbia.It is known as a second biggest railroad knot in Serbia, despite other greater centers. Also it is known by Najdan's circles. It is believed that they have a healing power....
, Smederevo
Smederevo
Smederevo is a city and municipality in Serbia, on the right bank of the Danube, about 40 km downstream of the capital Belgrade. According to official results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 107,528...
, SFR Yugoslavia. He graduated law in 1970 from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law
University of Belgrade Faculty of Law
The University of Belgrade Faculty of Law , also known as the Belgrade Law School, is one of the first-tier educational institutions of the University of Belgrade, Serbia...
. This was followed by two postgraduate qualifications in economics.
Academic and administrative
He began his career in academia as a university professor. In 1983, he was a Fulbright lecturer on the topic of Participation and Self-Management Systems. He has also been a guest lecturer at Cornell UniversityCornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
.
Labus was a senior adviser at the Federal Statistics Bureau (Savezni zavod za statistiku) in Belgrade between 1986 and 1994. Since 1993, he has been a researcher at Belgrade's Economics Institute. He edited the Federal Bureau of Statistics's Economic Trend publication from 1990 to 1996, and the Belgrade Economics Institute's Economic Barometer from 1994 to 2000. Labus has also been involved with the National Bank of Yugoslavia and World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
.
Political
Labus began his political career in 1992 when he got elected as MPMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
to the federal parliament of what was then FR Yugoslavia. While in this role, he was a member of the Monetary Policy Committee. In 1994, he was promoted to Vice-President of 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...
, under Zoran Đinđić. He held the position until 1997.
In 1999, he became President of the Administrative Board of the G17 Plus movement. It was then a lobby group focused on encouraging economic reforms within Serbia. G17 Plus soon become a powerful lobby group, with significant public support. In 2000, he left the board of G17 Plus, taking up a position as Deputy Prime Minister of Yugoslavia and Minister for International Economic Relations (in the federal government following the overthrow 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...
).
During the leadup to the fall 2002 presidential elections in Serbia, it became apparent that then-Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić did not have the appeal to match Koštunica, who had switched from the federal parliament to the state parliament. Đinđić agreed to back Koštunica's former ally, Labus, as an alternative candidate. In the resulting election, Koštunica defeated Labus, but as the election did not gain the required 50% voter turnout, the result was declared void. As such, Labus continued on in his position for another year.
Labus continued working with G17 Plus, and in late 2002, he began the process of transforming the lobby group into a full-fledged centrist political party, becoming its President. After the elections of December 2003, Labus and his party formed a minority coalition with the Democratic Party of Serbia
Democratic Party of Serbia
The Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia.-Foundation:The Democratic Party of Serbia was founded when a faction of the Democratic Party that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia split from the party and formed their own in 1992.Soon after the March...
and several other minor parties, in order to keep ultra-nationalist Tomislav Nikolić
Tomislav Nikolic
Tomislav "Toma" Nikolić is a Serbian politician, President of the Serbian Progressive Party. He is also a former member of the Serbian Radical Party, where he served as Deputy Leader of the party and parliamentary leader during the absence of Vojislav Šešelj...
out of power. As a result, he retained both his deputy prime ministership and his other ministries.
Books
- Fundamentals of Economics, (1995, 1997) (Original: Osnovi ekonomije)
- Fundamentals of Political Economy, (with D. Šoškić) (1992) (Original: Osnovi političke ekonomije)
- Contemporary Political Economy (1990) (Original: Savremena politička ekonomija)
- General Equilibrium of Economy, (with D. Vujović) (1990) (Original: Opšta privredna ravnoteža)
- Social or Collective Ownership Rights (1987) (Original: Društvena ili kolektivna vlasnička prava)
External links
- Лабус ради за Мишковића, Politika, March 7, 2008