M

Mirko Marjanović

Died
February 21, 2006
Age
68 years

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About Mirko Marjanović

Mirko Marjanović, 68, Serbian politician, Prime Minister of Serbia (1994–2000).

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Mirko Marjanović (27 July 1937 – 21 February 2006) was a Serbian politician who served as the prime minister of Serbia from 1994 to 2000.

Biography

Marjanović was born on 27 July 1937 in Knin into a large working-class family with 7 children, where he finished gymnasium. He had four brothers and 2 sisters and his father Dušan worked in a local factory, while his mother Marija was a homemaker.

During the season of 1955/56 he played as a winger for the football club HNK Dinara that is based in Knin. Marjanović later then moved to Zagreb where he attended musical academy which he ended up not finishing because he moved to live in Belgrade.[citation needed]

In 1960, he graduated at University of Belgrade's Faculty of Economics, more specifically at the department for microeconomics. Upon graduation, Marjanović came back to Knin since he found employment there as the supervisor in the Tvik factory. From there, he advanced to the position of financial director, and eventually moving on to a metallurgical factory in Zenica.

In 1973, he transferred to the Moscow outpost of Progres. By 1976, he quickly advanced up the ranks to become one of the directors at Progres. He handled the company's steel division in Russia quite successfully while developing an impressive network of influential friends and business partners such as Viktor Chernomyrdin (later to become Prime Minister of Russia), and Yuri Brezhnev, son of Leonid Brezhnev. Later in 1979, he was named as Progres' general director, a role he would hold until his death. From 1989 until 1994, he was the president of FK Partizan's executive board. One of his more notable moves while at the post was bringing Predrag Mijatović to the club in December 1989. Mijatović, at the time a young promising player from Titograd's FK Budućnost, was very close to signing with Hajduk Split when Marjanović stepped in and convinced him to come to Belgrade[citation needed]. Upon leaving the club, Marjanović was named Partizan's honorary president.

Political career

Marjanović was previously a member of the ruling party of SFR Yugoslavia until its dissolution in 1990 and shortly after that he became a member of the Socialist Party of Serbia. He quickly rose up through the ranks and after the 1993 parliamentary election he was chosen by Milošević as his prime minister. Some of the laws that were passed during his tenure allowed for the repression of professors, students and journalists who did not support Milošević's regime.

Marjanović continued to be seen as a mere extension of Slobodan Milošević who at this time held the post of President of Yugoslavia. Sources from the top levels of Milošević's Socialist Party of Serbia described Marjanović's government modus operandi in the Evropljanin magazine: "Prime Minister Marjanović suggests something – ministers do not vote – and then Marjanović simply concludes the matter as agreed on. Of course Marjanović neither suggests nor concludes anything without first consulting Milošević". Deputy Prime Minister Vojislav Šešelj indirectly confirmed this operating procedure when he said the government meetings are always well prepared, never lasting longer than 15–20 minutes. This two-year period is widely seen as the most brutal whilst Serbia was led by Milošević. Marjanović's government (with Šešelj as its deputy PM), passed two of what critics consider to be the most draconian pieces of legislation in Serbian political history: the University Law that stripped the University of Belgrade of its autonomy, opening the way for the government to install professors, deans and rectors, as well as the Information Law, which aimed to restrict the activities of media financed by political enemies; despite this, the media played a prominent role in the 5 October 2000 coup d'état. Similarly to his first term in office, Marjanović again took a back seat, leaving the limelight to more aggressive members of his cabinet like deputy PM Šešelj and Minister of Information Aleksandar Vučić.

Following the Bulldozer Revolution, he resigned on 21 October 2000 and was replaced by the transitional government led by Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS), the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), and the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO). The transitional government existed until early January 2001, when a new government was elected after the 2000 parliamentary election.

Death

He died on 21 February 2006, in Belgrade, aged 68, from undisclosed causes.

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Sources

Trivia & Knowledge· 15 questions

Questions drawn from Mirko Marjanović's archived record and the sources above.

  1. 1.In what city was Mirko Marjanović born on 27 July 1937?

    • A.Zenica
    • B.Belgrade
    • C.Zagreb
    • D.Knincorrect

    Mirko Marjanović was born on 27 July 1937 in the city of Knin.

    Source: Biography section

  2. 2.Which sport did Mirko Marjanović play during the 1955/56 season for HNK Dinara?

    • A.Volleyball
    • B.Basketball
    • C.Tennis
    • D.Footballcorrect

    During the season of 1955/56, Mirko Marjanović played as a winger for the football club HNK Dinara.

    Source: Biography section

  3. 3.At which university did Mirko Marjanović graduate in 1960?

    • A.University of Belgradecorrect
    • B.University of Moscow
    • C.University of Sarajevo
    • D.University of Zagreb

    Mirko Marjanović graduated at the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Economics in 1960.

    Source: Biography section

  4. 4.What was the first factory where Mirko Marjanović found employment after graduating from university?

    • A.Progres
    • B.Tvikcorrect
    • C.Metallurgical factory in Zenica
    • D.HNK Dinara

    Upon graduation, Mirko Marjanović found employment as the supervisor in the Tvik factory.

    Source: Biography section

  5. 5.In which city was the outpost of the company Progres located when Mirko Marjanović transferred there in 1973?

    • A.Moscowcorrect
    • B.Belgrade
    • C.Zenica
    • D.Knin

    Mirko Marjanović transferred to the Moscow outpost of Progres in 1973.

    Source: Biography section

  6. 6.Which influential business partner was associated with Mirko Marjanović during his time at Progres?

    • A.Predrag Mijatović
    • B.Viktor Chernomyrdincorrect
    • C.Slobodan Milošević
    • D.Aleksandar Vučić

    Mirko Marjanović developed a network of influential business partners including Viktor Chernomyrdin.

    Source: Biography section

  7. 7.What role did Mirko Marjanović hold at FK Partizan starting in 1989?

    • A.General Manager
    • B.Chief scout
    • C.President of the executive boardcorrect
    • D.Head coach

    From 1989 until 1994, Mirko Marjanović was the president of FK Partizan's executive board.

    Source: Biography section

  8. 8.Which player did Mirko Marjanović convince to join FK Partizan in December 1989?

    • A.Predrag Mijatovićcorrect
    • B.Vojislav Šešelj
    • C.Aleksandar Vučić
    • D.Yuri Brezhnev

    One of Mirko Marjanović's notable moves was bringing Predrag Mijatović to FK Partizan in December 1989.

    Source: Biography section

  9. 9.After the 1993 parliamentary election, who chose Mirko Marjanović to serve as Prime Minister of Serbia?

    • A.Viktor Chernomyrdin
    • B.Vojislav Šešelj
    • C.Leonid Brezhnev
    • D.Slobodan Miloševićcorrect

    After the 1993 parliamentary election, Mirko Marjanović was chosen by Slobodan Milošević as his prime minister.

    Source: Political career section

  10. 10.According to the Evropljanin magazine, how long did Mirko Marjanović's government meetings usually last?

    • A.1-2 hours
    • B.Full working days
    • C.15-20 minutescorrect
    • D.30-45 minutes

    Vojislav Šešelj confirmed that government meetings were well prepared and never lasted longer than 15–20 minutes.

    Source: Political career section

  11. 11.Which piece of legislation passed by Mirko Marjanović's government stripped the University of Belgrade of its autonomy?

    • A.The Media Regulation Act
    • B.The Information Law
    • C.The Progres Statute
    • D.The University Lawcorrect

    The University Law passed by Mirko Marjanović's government stripped the University of Belgrade of its autonomy.

    Source: Political career section

  12. 12.Who served as the Minister of Information during Mirko Marjanović's time in office?

    • A.Predrag Mijatović
    • B.Aleksandar Vučićcorrect
    • C.Slobodan Milošević
    • D.Vojislav Šešelj

    Mirko Marjanović left the limelight to members of his cabinet like Minister of Information Aleksandar Vučić.

    Source: Political career section

  13. 13.When did Mirko Marjanović resign from his position as Prime Minister?

    • A.5 October 2000
    • B.21 October 2000correct
    • C.1 January 2001
    • D.21 February 2006

    Following the Bulldozer Revolution, Mirko Marjanović resigned on 21 October 2000.

    Source: Political career section

  14. 14.In what city did Mirko Marjanović die on 21 February 2006?

    • A.Belgradecorrect
    • B.Zagreb
    • C.Knin
    • D.Moscow

    Mirko Marjanović died on 21 February 2006, in Belgrade.

    Source: Death section

  15. 15.How old was Mirko Marjanović when he passed away in 2006?

    • A.70
    • B.62
    • C.68correct
    • D.65

    Mirko Marjanović died on 21 February 2006, in Belgrade, aged 68.

    Source: Death section

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