Momir Bulatovic
Encyclopedia
Momir Bulatović (born September 21, 1956 in Belgrade
, Serbia
, FPR Yugoslavia), formerly served as a Yugoslavian and Montenegrin politician. Bulatović became federal President
of Montenegro
(1990-1998) while Montenegro was part of a Yugoslav
federation, and also Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1998-2000). He led the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro
(DPS CG), successor to the Montenegrin Communist Party, from 1989 to 1998. Today he lives in Belgrade.
The ICTY deems Momir Bulatović part of a "joint criminal enterprise to ethnically cleanse during the Yugoslav wars
non-Serb parts (in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina) and connect them into a compact territory with Serbia and Montenegro", thus ruling that form of a country of Serbia, Montenegro and Serb separatist republics in Bosnia and Croatia (Republika Srpska
and Republic of Serbian Krajina
). However, there is no indictment against Bulatović, while an investigation lasts against him in Croatia.
, the son of an officer the Yugoslav People's Army
(JNA) who originated from Montenegro. The family lived in the Voždovac
neighbourhood. Due to the nature of his father's job his family frequently relocated throughout Yugoslavia
. When Momir was five years old, the family moved to Zadar
in Croatia
, where he completed his primary and secondary education.
In 1975 the 18-year-old Bulatović moved to Titograd to study at the Veljko Vlahović University's Faculty of Economy. (According to Bulatović, he wanted to go back to Belgrade for university studies, but his family didn't have enough money to send him there - so he ended up in Titograd.) Upon graduating he continued as an assistant at the same university and soon earned a master's degree.
in a coup against the political leadership of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia
. Bulatović endorsed actions to protect Serbs
and Montenegrins in Kosovo
who claimed abuse by Albanian separatists. He advocated close alliance with Serbia due to the historic and cultural links of Montenegro to Serbia. Both he and Milošević endorsed reducing Kosovo's autonomy. In 1988, pro-Milošević supporters overthrew the Communist leadership of Montenegro and Bulatović was installed as the new leader of the League of Communists of Montenegro
.
In the 1990 Yugoslav Communist party's congress, Bulatović supported Milošević's agenda of changing the party's voting system to a one-member-one-vote system which would give a numerical majority to Serbs. Montenegro also supported Serbia in opposing all reforms proposed by Slovenia that were deemed to be intended to devolve power to the republics. The Slovenian and Croatian communist factions abdicated the party in what they saw as an attempt by Milošević to create Serb hegemony in the party. The League of Communists collapsed, Bulatović followed the political changes in the other republics and made Montenegro a multi-party democracy and formed the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro
with ex-Communists.
Bulatović served as the president of Montenegro from December 23, 1990 until January 15, 1998. During his tenure, he supported the policies of Milošević of regaining of Serb territories from the separating republics of Bosnia and Herzegovina
and Croatia
. During the Croatian War, his government endorsed the annexation of Dubrovnik
to Montenegro, claiming that it was historically linked to Montenegro.
He lost presidential elections in Montenegro in October 1997 to former ally, Prime Minister Milo Đukanović, who removed him from the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS CG). A large faction left the DPS CG with Bulatović to form the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro
(SNP CG). At first they both were strong supporters of Slobodan Milošević
but while Đukanović began to criticise Milošević, Bulatović continued supporting him, and was appointed to be federal Prime Minister by Milošević on May 18, 1998, to replace Radoje Kontić
. He resigned on October 9, 2000, shortly after Milošević was ousted. Bulatović wrote a memoir called The Rules of Keeping Silent in which he criticises his former allies, including the final president of Serbia and Montenegro
, Svetozar Marović
.
After the fall of Milošević in 2000, Predrag Bulatović
took over the leadership of the SNP CG and democratised it. Momir led a faction away from the SNP CG, forming a new party called the People's Socialist Party of Montenegro
.
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...
, 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), formerly served as a Yugoslavian and Montenegrin politician. Bulatović became federal President
President of Montenegro
-Presidents of Montenegro:-See also:*President of Serbia and Montenegro*President of Yugoslavia*List of Presidents of Montenegro*Prime Minister of Montenegro-External links:*...
of Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
(1990-1998) while Montenegro was part of a Yugoslav
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
federation, and also Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1998-2000). He led the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro
Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro
The Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro is the ruling social-democratic political party in Montenegro....
(DPS CG), successor to the Montenegrin Communist Party, from 1989 to 1998. Today he lives in Belgrade.
The ICTY deems Momir Bulatović part of a "joint criminal enterprise to ethnically cleanse 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...
non-Serb parts (in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina) and connect them into a compact territory with Serbia and Montenegro", thus ruling that form of a country of Serbia, Montenegro and Serb separatist republics in Bosnia and Croatia (Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
and Republic of Serbian Krajina
Republic of Serbian Krajina
The Republic of Serbian Krajina was a self-proclaimed Serb entity within Croatia. Established in 1991, it was not recognized internationally. It formally existed from 1991 to 1995, having been initiated a year earlier via smaller separatist regions. The name Krajina means "frontier"...
). However, there is no indictment against Bulatović, while an investigation lasts against him in Croatia.
Early life
Bulatović was born in BelgradeBelgrade
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...
, the son of an officer the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
(JNA) who originated from Montenegro. The family lived in the Voždovac
Voždovac
Voždovac is an urban neighborhood and one of 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.- Location :...
neighbourhood. Due to the nature of his father's job his family frequently relocated throughout Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. When Momir was five years old, the family moved to Zadar
Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
in 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 ...
, where he completed his primary and secondary education.
In 1975 the 18-year-old Bulatović moved to Titograd to study at the Veljko Vlahović University's Faculty of Economy. (According to Bulatović, he wanted to go back to Belgrade for university studies, but his family didn't have enough money to send him there - so he ended up in Titograd.) Upon graduating he continued as an assistant at the same university and soon earned a master's degree.
Political career
In the late 1980s Bulatović's political career surged as he campaigned alongside his ally 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...
in a coup against the political leadership of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia
League of Communists of Yugoslavia
League of Communists of Yugoslavia , before 1952 the Communist Party of Yugoslavia League of Communists of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian: Savez komunista Jugoslavije/Савез комуниста Југославије, Slovene: Zveza komunistov Jugoslavije, Macedonian: Сојуз на комунистите на Југославија, Sojuz na...
. Bulatović endorsed actions to protect Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
and Montenegrins in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
who claimed abuse by Albanian separatists. He advocated close alliance with Serbia due to the historic and cultural links of Montenegro to Serbia. Both he and Milošević endorsed reducing Kosovo's autonomy. In 1988, pro-Milošević supporters overthrew the Communist leadership of Montenegro and Bulatović was installed as the new leader of the League of Communists of Montenegro
League of Communists of Montenegro
The League of Communists of Montenegro was the Montenegrin branch of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, the sole legal party of Yugoslavia from 1945 to 1990...
.
In the 1990 Yugoslav Communist party's congress, Bulatović supported Milošević's agenda of changing the party's voting system to a one-member-one-vote system which would give a numerical majority to Serbs. Montenegro also supported Serbia in opposing all reforms proposed by Slovenia that were deemed to be intended to devolve power to the republics. The Slovenian and Croatian communist factions abdicated the party in what they saw as an attempt by Milošević to create Serb hegemony in the party. The League of Communists collapsed, Bulatović followed the political changes in the other republics and made Montenegro a multi-party democracy and formed the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro
Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro
The Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro is the ruling social-democratic political party in Montenegro....
with ex-Communists.
Bulatović served as the president of Montenegro from December 23, 1990 until January 15, 1998. During his tenure, he supported the policies of Milošević of regaining of Serb territories from the separating republics of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and 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 ...
. During the Croatian War, his government endorsed the annexation of Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
to Montenegro, claiming that it was historically linked to Montenegro.
He lost presidential elections in Montenegro in October 1997 to former ally, Prime Minister Milo Đukanović, who removed him from the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS CG). A large faction left the DPS CG with Bulatović to form the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro
Socialist People's Party of Montenegro
The Socialist People's Party of Montenegro is a socialist opposition political party in Montenegro. It has 16 MPs in the Parliament of Montenegro, which it won on the 2009 parliamentary election...
(SNP CG). At first they both were strong supporters 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...
but while Đukanović began to criticise Milošević, Bulatović continued supporting him, and was appointed to be federal Prime Minister by Milošević on May 18, 1998, to replace Radoje Kontić
Radoje Kontic
Radoje Kontić is a retired Montenegrin politician and technologist. He was the last Chairman of the Socialist Republic of Montenegro's Executive Council from 1989 to 1991 - a post which he obtained by riding the wave of the anti-bureaucratic putsch in Montenegro during January 1989...
. He resigned on October 9, 2000, shortly after Milošević was ousted. Bulatović wrote a memoir called The Rules of Keeping Silent in which he criticises his former allies, including the final president of Serbia and Montenegro
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...
, Svetozar Marović
Svetozar Marovic
Svetozar Marović ; born March 31, 1955) is a lawyer and a Montenegrin politician. He was the only president of Serbia and Montenegro...
.
After the fall of Milošević in 2000, Predrag Bulatović
Predrag Bulatovic
Predrag Bulatović is a Montenegrin politician. He was the president of the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro and unofficial leader of the Bloc Together for Changes and the entire "half of the Montenegrin world in favor of Serbia"...
took over the leadership of the SNP CG and democratised it. Momir led a faction away from the SNP CG, forming a new party called the People's Socialist Party of Montenegro
People's Socialist Party of Montenegro
People Socialist Party of Montenegro was an opposition political party in Montenegro within the Serbian List due to its support of political union of Montenegro with Serbia, holding 1 seat in the Assembly of the Republic of Montenegro...
.