Mirko Šarović
{{Short description|Bosnian Serb politician (born 1956)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Mirko Šarović
| native_name = {{Nobold|Мирко Шаровић}}
| image = Mirko Šarović (cropped).jpg
| caption = Šarović in 2018
| office = 6th Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
| term_start = 28 October 2002
| term_end = 2 April 2003
| predecessor = Beriz Belkić
| successor = Dragan Čović
| office1 = 3rd Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
| term_start1 = 28 October 2002
| term_end1 = 2 April 2003
| primeminister1 = Dragan Mikerević
Adnan Terzić
| predecessor1 = Živko Radišić
| successor1 = Borislav Paravac
| order2 = 4th
| office2 = President of Republika Srpska
| term_start2 = 26 January 2000
| term_end2 = 28 November 2002
| vicepresident2 = Dragan Čavić
| predecessor2 = Nikola Poplašen
| successor2 = Dragan Čavić
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|Ministerial offices
| cont = yes
| titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| office3 = Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations
| term_start3 = 31 March 2015
| term_end3 = 23 December 2019
| primeminister3 = Denis Zvizdić
| predecessor3 = Boris Tučić
| successor3 = Staša Košarac
| term_start4 = 12 January 2012
| term_end4 = 24 October 2013
| primeminister4 = Vjekoslav Bevanda
| predecessor4 = Mladen Zirojević
| successor4 = Boris Tučić
{{collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|Additional positions
| cont = yes
| titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| office5 = President of the Serb Democratic Party
| term_start5 = 30 June 2019
| term_end5 = 12 November 2022
| predecessor5 = Vukota Govedarica
| successor5 = Milan Miličević
{{collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|09|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = Rogatica, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia
| party = Serb Democratic Party
| spouse = {{marriage|Stojanka Šarović||2024|end=died}}
| children = 2
| alma_mater = University of Sarajevo (LL.B.)
}}
Mirko Šarović ({{lang-sr-cyrl|Мирко Шаровић}}; born 16 September 1956) is a Bosnian Serb politician who served as the 3rd Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2003. From 2000 to 2002, he also served as the 4th president of Republika Srpska and was Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations on two occasions as well.
Šarović graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Sarajevo in 1979. Following the Bosnian War in the 1990s, he was elected to the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. In 2000, he became president of Republika Srpska, serving until 2002.
At the 2002 general election, Šarović was elected as Serb member of the Bosnian Presidency, serving in office only until 2003, when he resigned amid allegations of his involvement in organising illegal military trading with Iraq. From 2012 to 2013 and again from 2015 to 2019, he served as Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations.
In 2019, Šarović became the new president of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS). At the 2022 general election, he once again ran for a seat in the Presidency as a Serb member, but was not elected. Following the election, Šarović resigned as president of the SDS.
Early life and education
Šarović was born in Rogatica, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia on 16 September 1956.{{cite book |author= Ninoslav Kopač |date=2012|title=Svjedok histerije |publisher=Serb Democratic Forum |place=Zagreb |page=344 |isbn=978-953-57313-2-0}} He graduated from the Faculty of Law in Sarajevo in 1979. During the 1980s, Šarović was employed in the Engine Factory Sarajevo (Famos) and Unis Sarajevo.
Career
Šarović entered politics before the Bosnian War, as secretary of the municipality of Novo Sarajevo. In one term, he was president of the Executive Board and mayor of East Sarajevo. Šarović was a member of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska for two terms.
As president of Republika Srpska, he signed the historic Agreement on Special Parallel Relations between FR Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska on 5 March 2001 in Banja Luka, together with FR Yugoslavia President Vojislav Koštunica. The Assembly of FR Yugoslavia ratified the signed agreement 10 May 2001. From 28 October 2002 until 2 April 2003, Šarović served as the 3rd Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He resigned from the Presidency on 2 April 2003 amid allegations of his involvement in organising illegal military trading with Iraq.[https://web.archive.org/web/20120110004148/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,352915,00.html In Bed With Iraq?], Time, 19 September 2002
Šarović was Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on two occasions. On 30 June 2019, he became the new president of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), succeeding Vukota Govedarica.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/mirko-sarovic-novi-predsjednik-sds-a/190630047|title=Mirko Šarović novi predsjednik SDS-a|date=30 June 2019|accessdate=30 June 2019|language=Bosnian|author=A.D.|publisher=Klix.ba}} As president of the SDS, the major opposition party in Republika Srpska, Šarović has been a fierce opponent and critic of Bosnian Serb leader and current Bosnian Presidency member Milorad Dodik, having clashes with him on numerous occasions.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/sarovic-o-sutrasnjoj-sjednici-nsrs-a-srljamo-grlom-u-jagode-nisu-svjesni-opasnosti-u-koju-nas-vode/211209148|title=Šarović o sutrašnjoj sjednici NSRS-a: Srljamo grlom u jagode, nisu svjesni opasnosti u koju nas vode|date=9 December 2021|access-date=9 December 2021|language=bs|author=G.M.|publisher=Klix.ba}}
On 23 June 2022, Šarović announced his candidacy in the Bosnian general election, running again for Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-person Presidency member, representing the Serbs.{{cite web|url=https://avaz.ba/vijesti/bih/753049/mirko-sarovic-je-kandidat-sds-a-za-clana-predsjednistva-bih|title=Mirko Šarović je kandidat SDS-a za člana Predsjedništva BiH|date=23 June 2022|access-date=23 June 2022|language=bs|author=E.Ć.|publisher=avaz.ba}} At the general election however, held on 2 October 2022, he was not elected, obtaining 35.45% of the vote, with Alliance of Independent Social Democrats candidate Željka Cvijanović getting elected with 51.65% of the vote.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/becirovic-dobio-116-hiljada-glasova-vise-od-izetbegovica-a-cvijanovic-sama-vise-od-svojih-protukandidata-skupa/221023007|title=Bećirović dobio 116 hiljada glasova više od Izetbegovića, a Cvijanović sama više od svojih protukandidata skupa|date=23 October 2022|access-date=23 October 2022|language=bs|author=D.Be.|publisher=Klix.ba}} Following his defeat and a poor showing of the SDS in the election as well, Šarović announced his resignation as president of the party in November 2022.{{cite web|url=https://avaz.ba/vijesti/bih/784049/mirko-sarovic-i-kompletno-rukovodstvo-sds-a-podnijeli-ostavke-u-stranci|title=Mirko Šarović i kompletno rukovodstvo SDS-a podnijeli ostavke u stranci|date=3 November 2022|access-date=3 November 2022|language=bs|author=S.S.|publisher=Dnevni avaz}}
Personal life
Mirko was married to Stojanka Šarović and together they had two children.{{cite web|url=http://imovinapoliticara.cin.ba/profil.php?profil=139|title=Mirko Šarović|access-date=20 September 2021|language=bs|website=imovinapoliticara.cin.ba}} On 11 February 2024, his wife committed suicide at their home in Istočno Sarajevo.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/supruga-bivseg-predsjednika-sds-a-mirka-sarovica-izvrsila-samoubistvo/240211076|title=Supruga bivšeg predsjednika SDS-a Mirka Šarovića izvršila samoubistvo|date=11 February 2024|access-date=11 February 2024|language=bs|publisher=Klix.ba}}
Orders
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commonscat-inline}}
{{Presidents of Republika Srpska}}
{{Bosnian President}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarovic, Mirko}}
Category:Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Category:Sarajevo Law School alumni
Category:Academic staff of the University of Sarajevo
Category:Serb Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina) politicians
Category:Presidents of Republika Srpska
Category:Vice presidents of Republika Srpska
Category:Members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Category:Chairmen of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina