Slobodan Milošević
Milošević was born on August 29th, 1941 in Požarevac, Yugos. At 18 years old, he joined the Communist Party of Yugoslavia. He graduated from the University of Belgrade with a law degree in 1964 and afterwards, began a career in business administration, eventually becoming head of the state-owned gas company and president of a major Belgrade bank. After marrying Mirjana Marković, she became his close political advisor. In 1984, politics became his main focus, taking over as head of his local communist party in Belgrade.
Milošević’s policies created an anti-Serb backlash in the other republics. In 1991 first Slovenia and Croatia and then Macedonia declared their independence. In 1992 the Bosniaks and Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina also voted to secede. Milošević backed Serbian militias who were fighting to unite Bosnia and Croatia with Serbia. In 1995 the Croatian army swept almost the entire Serbian population out of its historic enclaves in Croatia.
Milošević maintained power by his repression of political opponents, his control of the mass media, and the opportunistic alliances he formed with parties across the political spectrum. He was arrested by the Yugoslav government in 2001 and turned over to the ICTY for trial on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The trial began in February 2002 but experienced numerous delays because of the poor health of Milošević, who served as his own defense lawyer.
On March 11, 2006, he was found dead in his prison cell.
Milošević’s policies created an anti-Serb backlash in the other republics. In 1991 first Slovenia and Croatia and then Macedonia declared their independence. In 1992 the Bosniaks and Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina also voted to secede. Milošević backed Serbian militias who were fighting to unite Bosnia and Croatia with Serbia. In 1995 the Croatian army swept almost the entire Serbian population out of its historic enclaves in Croatia.
Milošević maintained power by his repression of political opponents, his control of the mass media, and the opportunistic alliances he formed with parties across the political spectrum. He was arrested by the Yugoslav government in 2001 and turned over to the ICTY for trial on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The trial began in February 2002 but experienced numerous delays because of the poor health of Milošević, who served as his own defense lawyer.
On March 11, 2006, he was found dead in his prison cell.