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Zoran Jankovic (economist)
Encyclopedia
Zoran Janković is a Slovenia
n businessman and politician
who has been mayor
of Ljubljana
since 2006. Since World War II
, he has been the first mayor of Ljubljana to serve his term twice. He is the president of the Positive Slovenia
party.
near the town of Smederevo
in Serbia
, then part of Yugoslavia
to Serb
father and Slovene mother. He moved to Slovenia
with his parents in 1964. He attended the Poljane High School in Ljubljana
and in 1971 entered the Faculty of Economics of the University of Ljubljana
, where he graduated in 1980. He started his career as director of Mercator Investa in 1984. Later he founded a company called Electa. He was chairman of Mercator, the biggest retail
company in Slovenia, from 1997 to his removal in 2005.
as independent candidate. He was elected with a landslide in the first round on 22 October 2006, with 63% of the popular vote. His list won 23 out of 45 seats in the City Council, guaranteeing the stability of his administration. He took the office on 17 November 2006. There were numerous promises made before the elections and many were completed in his 4 year term, including most prominent one, building of the Stožice Stadium
, a new central football stadium and indoor sports arena, which was built in 2010, solving two decades old issue of Ljubljana not having such facilities. On 10 October 2010, Janković was re-elected for another 4 year term, receiving 65% of the popular vote. His list won 25 out of 45 seats in the City Council.
On 11th October 2011, he announced his candidacy for a prime minister with his own party, Positive Slovenia
, to "make a better world for all Slovenians, beyond current political doctrines and practices".
, for taking advantage of his influentional persona to help his younger son Jure passing the final high school exams.
In his mayor years there have been several speculations about him making the decisions that would provide his sons and friends with financial benefits.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n businessman and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who has been mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
since 2006. Since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he has been the first mayor of Ljubljana to serve his term twice. He is the president of the Positive Slovenia
Positive Slovenia
Positive Slovenia is a Slovenian centre-left political party, led by Zoran Janković.On 11 October 2011, Janković, the mayor of Ljubljana, announced that he would participate at the early parliamentary election, following the fall of the government of Borut Pahor. The charter of the new party was...
party.
Early life and business activity
Janković was born in the village of SaraorciSaraorci
Saraorci is a village in the municipality of Smederevo, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 2413 people....
near the town of 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...
in 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...
, then part of 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,...
to Serb
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...
father and Slovene mother. He moved to Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
with his parents in 1964. He attended the Poljane High School in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
and in 1971 entered the Faculty of Economics of the University of Ljubljana
University of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. With 64,000 enrolled graduate and postgraduate students, it is among the largest universities in Europe.-Beginnings:...
, where he graduated in 1980. He started his career as director of Mercator Investa in 1984. Later he founded a company called Electa. He was chairman of Mercator, the biggest retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
company in Slovenia, from 1997 to his removal in 2005.
Entry into politics
In September 2006, he announced his pursuit for mayor of LjubljanaLjubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
as independent candidate. He was elected with a landslide in the first round on 22 October 2006, with 63% of the popular vote. His list won 23 out of 45 seats in the City Council, guaranteeing the stability of his administration. He took the office on 17 November 2006. There were numerous promises made before the elections and many were completed in his 4 year term, including most prominent one, building of the Stožice Stadium
Stožice Stadium
Stožice Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It was designed by Slovenian Sadar Vuga d.o.o. architects and is the biggest football stadium in the country. It is one of two main stadiums in the city and lies in the Bežigrad district, north of the city centre...
, a new central football stadium and indoor sports arena, which was built in 2010, solving two decades old issue of Ljubljana not having such facilities. On 10 October 2010, Janković was re-elected for another 4 year term, receiving 65% of the popular vote. His list won 25 out of 45 seats in the City Council.
On 11th October 2011, he announced his candidacy for a prime minister with his own party, Positive Slovenia
Positive Slovenia
Positive Slovenia is a Slovenian centre-left political party, led by Zoran Janković.On 11 October 2011, Janković, the mayor of Ljubljana, announced that he would participate at the early parliamentary election, following the fall of the government of Borut Pahor. The charter of the new party was...
, to "make a better world for all Slovenians, beyond current political doctrines and practices".
Other activities
From 1984 to 1990, Janković was the vice president of basketball club Union Olimpija. He was the founder of a successful women handball club Krim Electa and it's president for 5 years, from 1992 to 1997. For 8 years he was also the president of Slovenian handball association, this was between 1996 and 2004.Controversy
In 1998 he was accused by the media, including influential liberal magazine MladinaMladina
Mladina is a Slovenian weekly left-wing current affairs magazine. It was first published in the 1920s as the youth magazine of the Slovenian Communist Party...
, for taking advantage of his influentional persona to help his younger son Jure passing the final high school exams.
In his mayor years there have been several speculations about him making the decisions that would provide his sons and friends with financial benefits.