Sifet Podžić

Podžić was born in Žepa, SFR Yugoslavia, present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 1 May 1959. He earned an MS in diplomacy and a PhD from the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Sarajevo.{{cite web|url=https://www.vijeceministara.gov.ba/ministarstva/odbrana/default.aspx?id=31935&langTag=bs-BS|title=Sifet Podžić|access-date=17 December 2022|language=bs|website=vijeceministara.gov.ba}}

{{See also|Cabinet of Zoran Tegeltija}}

On 23 December 2019, Podžić was appointed by the Democratic Front as Minister of Defence in the government of Zoran Tegeltija.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/pocela-sjednica-o-imenovanju-vijeca-ministara-bih/191223094|title=Počela sjednica o imenovanju Vijeća ministara BiH|date=23 December 2019|access-date=23 December 2019|language=bs|author=Er.M.|publisher=Klix.ba}}

On 14 July 2021, Podžić and the Bosnian Foreign Minister Bisera Turković met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/turkovic-i-podzic-danas-u-sjedistu-nato-a-o-koracima-bih-u-okviru-akcijskog-plana-za-clanstvo/210714047|title=Turković i Podžić danas u sjedištu NATO-a o koracima BiH u okviru Akcijskog plana za članstvo|date=14 July 2021|access-date=14 July 2021|language=bs|author=M.G.|publisher=Klix.ba}}

In August 2021, Bosnian Presidency members Željko Komšić and Šefik Džaferović, without including third member Milorad Dodik, instructed the Ministry of Security to be available for putting out the wildfires in Herzegovina which had formed a few days before.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/predsjednistvo-bez-dodika-zaduzilo-ministarstvo-sigurnosti-da-bude-na-raspolaganju-za-gasenje-pozara/210813129|title=Predsjedništvo bez Dodika zadužilo Ministarstvo sigurnosti da bude na raspolaganju za gašenje požara|date=13 August 2021|access-date=13 August 2021|language=bs|author=N.V.|publisher=Klix.ba}} This came after Dodik refused to give consent to the Bosnian Armed Forces to use its military helicopters to help put out the fires, because the consent of all three members of the Presidency is required for the military force's helicopters to be used.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/dok-bukte-pozari-u-hercegovini-ceka-se-dodikova-saglasnost-za-angazovanje-helikoptera-osbih/210811166|title=Dok bukte požari u Hercegovini čeka se Dodikova saglasnost za angažovanje helikoptera OSBiH|date=12 August 2021|access-date=12 August 2021|language=bs|author=D.Be.|publisher=Klix.ba}} On 19 August, Dodik justified withholding consent, saying the "Helicopters are 40–50 years old. The people flying them have courage. Of course, that is not the only reason why I did not participate in the Presidency sessions. That reason is well known and it will remain so."{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/dodik-se-pokusao-opravdati-helikopteri-oruzanih-snaga-su-na-ivici-ispravnosti/210819142|title=Dodik se pokušao opravdati: Helikopteri Oružanih snaga su na ivici ispravnosti|date=19 August 2021|access-date=19 August 2021|language=bs|author=B.R.|publisher=Klix.ba}} However, on 23 August, Podžić reacted to Dodik's statement, saying "The helicopters are perfectly fine, the only reason they didn't help in putting out the fires is Dodik."{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/podzic-helikopteri-su-ispravni-jedini-razlog-sto-nisu-gasili-pozare-je-dodik/210823107|title=Podžić: Helikopteri su ispravni, jedini razlog što nisu gasili požare je Dodik|date=23 August 2021|access-date=23 August 2021|language=bs|author=M.G.|publisher=Klix.ba}}

In October 2021, Podžić canceled a military exercise between the Serbian Army and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina due to the "bad COVID-19 epidemiological situation in the country and because of the small number of vaccinated members of the Armed Forces."{{cite web|url=https://balkans.aljazeera.net/news/balkan/2021/10/4/otkazana-vojna-vjezba-srbije-i-bih-na-manjaci|title=Otkazana vojna vježba Srbije i BiH na Manjači|date=4 October 2021|access-date=4 October 2021|language=bs|publisher=balkans.aljazeera.net}} This was met with outrage by Chairman of the Council of Ministers Zoran Tegeltija, who sent a request for the removal of Podžić as minister to the national Parliament.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/tegeltija-uputio-zahtjev-za-smjenu-podzica-u-parlament-bih-iako-politicari-iz-rs-a-bojkotuju-sjednice/211005164|title=Tegeltija uputio zahtjev za smjenu Podžića u Parlament BiH, iako političari iz RS-a bojkotuju sjednice|date=5 October 2021|access-date=5 October 2021|language=bs|author=D.Be.|publisher=Klix.ba}} Some days later, he submitted the decision on the dismissal of Podžić to the House of Representatives.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/tegeltija-u-parlament-bih-dostavio-odluku-o-smjeni-podzica-narusava-unutrasnje-povjerenje/211014071|title=Tegeltija u Parlament BiH dostavio odluku o smjeni Podžića: "Narušava unutrašnje povjerenje"|date=14 October 2021|access-date=14 October 2021|language=bs|author=B.T.|publisher=Klix.ba}} On 26 October, the majority of the House of Representatives members voted against Tegeltija's decision and did not support Podžić's dismissal.{{cite web|url=https://www.bljesak.info/vijesti/politika/Zastupnici-u-Parlamentu-BiH-odbili-podrzati-smjenu-ministra-Podzica/363262|title=Zastupnici u Parlamentu BiH odbili podržati smjenu ministra Podžića|date=26 October 2021|access-date=26 October 2021|language=bs|website=bljesak.info}}

Podžić was succeeded as Minister of Defence by Zukan Helez on 25 January 2023, following the formation of a new government presided over by Borjana Krišto.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/bih-dobila-novo-vijece-ministara-drzavnu-vlast-sada-cini-snsd-hdz-sdp-nip-ns-dns/230125037|title=BiH dobila novo Vijeće ministara, državnu vlast sada čini SNSD, HDZ, SDP, NiP, NS, DNS...|date=25 January 2023|access-date=25 January 2023|language=bs|author=N.V.|publisher=Klix.ba}}

Podžić is married and has two children. Besides his native Bosnian, he speaks English and Slovene fluently.

On 17 October 2022, Podžić was rushed to hospital and had emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in his abdominal aorta.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/poznat-uzrok-hospitalizacije-ministra-odbrane-sifeta-podzica/221017127|title=Poznat uzrok hospitalizacije ministra odbrane Sifeta Podžića|date=17 October 2022|access-date=17 October 2022|language=bs|publisher=Klix.ba}} He was placed into the intensive care unit the next day.{{cite web|url=https://www.oslobodjenje.ba/vijesti/bih/nakon-hitne-operacije-poznato-kakvo-je-zdravstveno-stanje-ministra-sifeta-podzica-801746|title=Nakon hitne operacije: Poznato kakvo je zdravstveno stanje ministra Sifeta Podžića|date=18 October 2022|access-date=18 October 2022|language=bs|website=oslobodjenje.ba}} Podžić recovered and was discharged from hospital on 21 October.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/ministar-odbrane-bih-sifet-podzic-izasao-iz-bolnice-osjeca-se-dobro/221021059|title=Ministar odbrane BiH Sifet Podžić izašao iz bolnice, osjeća se dobro|date=21 October 2022|access-date=21 October 2022|language=bs|author=S.Š.U.|publisher=Klix.ba}}

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• [http://mod.gov.ba/MO_BiH/Struktura/ministar_odbrane/default.aspx?id=21763 Minister of Defence profile]

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{{s-bef|before=Marina Pendeš}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Defence|years=2019–2023}}

{{s-aft|after=Zukan Helez}}

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{{Defence Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina}}

{{Tegeltija Cabinet}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Podzic, Sifet}}

Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:Academic staff of the University of Sarajevo

Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina soldiers

Category:Ambassadors of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Bulgaria

Category:Members of the House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Category:Government ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Category:Defence ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina