Dragan Živkov Explained

Dragan Živkov
Country:Serbia
Native Name:Драган Живков
Native Name Lang:sr-cyr
Birth Date:3 November 1958
Office:National Assembly of Serbia
Termstart:2004
Termend:2012
Party:Serbian Radical Party

Dragan Živkov (Serbian: Драган Живков; born 3 November 1958) is a former politician in Serbia. He served in the National Assembly of Serbia from 2004 to 2012 as a member of the far-right Serbian Radical Party.

Private career

Živkov is a private entrepreneur from Bečej in the province of Vojvodina.[1] In 2005, he indicated that he ran a family-owned company dealing with services and transport in civil engineering.[2] He is also the president of FK Vojvodina Bačko Gradište.[3]

Politician

Živkov first sought election to the national assembly in the 1997 Serbian parliamentary election, appearing in the seventh position on the Radical Party's electoral list for the Zrenjanin division.[4] The list won four seats, and he did not receive a mandate. (From 1992 to 2000, one-third of Serbian parliamentary mandates were awarded to candidates on successful lists in numerical order, while the other two-thirds were distributed among other candidates at the discretion of the sponsoring parties or coalitions. Živkov could have received a mandate when the assembly convened despite his relatively low list position, although in the event he did not.)[5]

He later appeared in the second position on the Radical Party's list for the Vrbas division in the 2000 election for the Chamber of Citizens in the Federal Assembly of Yugoslavia.[6] The list did not win any mandates.[7] He was, however, elected to the Bečej municipal assembly in the concurrent 2000 Serbian local elections, winning in the second division in Bačko Gradište. This was the last local electoral cycle in Serbia wherein members were elected in single-member constituencies; all subsequent local electoral cycles have been held under proportional representation.[8]

Serbia's electoral system was reformed at the republic level in 2000, such that the entire country became a single electoral division and all mandates were awarded to candidates on successful lists at the discretion of the sponsoring parties or coalitions, irrespective of numerical order. Živkov appeared in the sixty-first position on the Radical Party's list in the 2003 Serbian parliamentary election.[9] The list won eighty-two mandates, and he was included in the party's delegation when the assembly met in January 2004.[10] Although the Radicals won more seats than any other party in 2003, they fell well short of a majority and served in opposition in the parliament that followed. Živkov was a member of the committee on inter-ethnic relations and the committee on economic reforms.[11]

Žikvov was the Radical Party's candidate for mayor of Bečej in the 2004 Serbian local elections and finished third. He also led the party's list in the concurrent municipal assembly election and was re-elected when the list won seven mandates.[12] [13] [14] The Radicals initially participated in a local coalition government after the election, and Žikvov was a member of the municipal council (i.e., the executive branch of the local government) from 14 October 2004 until 16 April 2005, when the party was excluded from the administration.[15] [16] Bečej's sitting mayor lost a recall election in late 2005,[17] and Živkov ran in the 2006 by-election to fill the position. He was defeated in the second round of voting. Serbia subsequently abandoned the direct election of mayors.[18]

Živkov appeared on the Radical Party's lists in the 2007 and 2008 parliamentary elections and was included in the party's assembly delegation both times.[19] [20] He was also re-elected to the Bečej assembly in the 2008 local elections, after leading a combined list of the Radicals, the Democratic Party of Serbia, and New Serbia.[21] [22] The Radical Party continued to serve in opposition in this time, at both the republic level and the municipal level in Bečej. The party also experienced a serious split in late 2008, with several members joining the more moderate Serbian Progressive Party under the leadership of Tomislav Nikolić and Aleksandar Vučić. Živkov remained with the Radicals.

Serbia's electoral system was reformed yet again in 2011, such that mandates were awarded in numerical order to candidates on successful lists. Živkov appeared in the sixty-fifth position on the Radical Party's list in the 2012 parliamentary election and led the party's list in Bečej in the concurrent 2012 local elections. Both lists failed to cross their respective electoral thresholds.[23] [24] [25]

Živkov also sought election to the Assembly of Vojvodina on two occasions, running for the Bečej constituency seat in the 2004 and 2012 provincial elections. He was defeated both times. He has not sought a return to political life since 2012.

Electoral record

Provincial (Vojvodina)

2012 Vojvodina assembly election
Bečej (constituency seat) - First and Second Rounds[26]
CandidateParty or CoalitionVotes%Votes%
Slobodan ZlokolicaChoice for a Better VojvodinaBojan Pajtić3,38218.6710,41064.68
Vuk RadojevićLet's Get Vojvodina MovingTomislav Nikolić
(Serbian Progressive Party, New Serbia, Movement of Socialists, Strength of Serbia Movement) (Affiliation: Serbia Progressive Party)
2,88115.915,68535.32
Laslo FeherAlliance of Vojvodina Hungarians2,63414.54
Zoltan Guljaš"Miša Vrebalov–U-Turn"1,98110.94
Milica GobelićDemocratic Party of Serbia1,4848.19
Jelena ČešljevićSocialist Party of Serbia (SPS)–Party of United Pensioners of Serbia (PUPS)–United Serbia (JS)–Social Democratic Party of Serbia (SDP Srbije)1,1676.44
Dragan ŽivkovSerbian Radical Party9725.37
Vera GuljašLeague of Social Democrats of VojvodinaNenad Čanak7974.40
Igor KišDemocratic Party of Vojvodina Hungarians7874.35
István TariDemocratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians–VMDK7073.90
Zubcsik GáborHungarian Hope Movement4772.63
Čila Mešter-KutiHungarian Civic Alliance4762.63
Magdolna ŠlajfUnited Regions of SerbiaMlađan Dinkić3662.02
Total valid votes18,11110016,095100
2004 Vojvodina assembly election
Bečej (constituency seat) - First and Second Rounds[27]
CandidateParty or CoalitionVotes%Votes%
Tibor JakabCoalition: Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians and Christian Democratic European Movement2,63820.357,02252.83
Dragan Živkov DžajaSerbian Radical Party2,39518.486,27047.17
Đorđe Predin BadžaPeople's Democratic Party2,37718.34
Endre SaboG17 Plus1,37110.58
Šandor RepergerStrength of Serbia Movement1,2149.37
Zora AlićSocialist Party of Serbia1,1318.73
Peter RožaDemocratic Party of Vojvodina Hungarians1,0267.92
Ištvan TariDemocratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians8096.24
Total valid votes12,96110013,292100
Invalid ballots533478
Total votes casts13,49439.1513,77039.95

Municipal (Bečej)

2006 Bečej municipal by-election
Mayor of Bečej - First and Second Round Results[28]
CandidateParty or CoalitionVotes%Votes%
Dušan JovanovićDemocratic Party of Serbia2,57117.059,14765.45
Dragan Živkov DžajaSerbian Radical Party2,65817.634,82934.55
Peter KneziAlliance of Vojvodina Hungarians2,41716.03
Živan GavrilovićSocialist Party of Serbia1,74311.56
Zoran SubotičkiG17 Plus1,74111.55
Gordana KovačevDemocratic PartyBoris Tadić1,54410.24
Šandor RepergerStrength of Serbia MovementBogoljub Karić9086.02
Slobodan Borojević BataCitizens' Group6294.17
Sándor PállDemocratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians5843.87
Laslo FrišDemocratic Party of Vojvodina Hungarians2821.87
Total valid votes15,07710013,976100
2004 Bečej municipal election
Mayor of Bečej - First and Second Round Results[29]
CandidateParty or CoalitionVotes%Votes%
Đorđe Predin BadžaPeople's Democratic Party1,87914.267,21553.31
József F. VargaCoalition: Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians and Christian Democratic European Movement3,06823.296,31946.69
Dragan Živkov DžajaSerbian Radical Party1,82813.87
Zoran SubotičkiG17 Plus1,82113.82
Sándor PállDemocratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians1,50011.39
Živan GavrilovićSocialist Party of Serbia1,2399.40
Zoran Stojšin (incumbent)Democratic Party9377.12
Šandor RepergerStrength of Serbia Movement5834.43
Đorđe TotCitizens' Group3202.43
Total valid votes13,17510013,534100
2000 Bečej municipal election
Bečej Municipal Assembly – Bačko Gradište II (First-past-the-post)[30]
CandidateParty or CoalitionVotes%
Dragan Živkov DžajaSerbian Radical Party12524.95
Miodrag Despotović MijaSocialist Party of SerbiaYugoslav LeftSlobodan Milošević11122.16
Pavle StojšićDemocratic Opposition of Serbia–Dr. Vojislav Koštunica10220.36
Laslo FeherDemocratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians7314.57
Reza MolnarCitizens' Group5911.78
Ištvan BurzaCitizens' Group316.19
Total valid votes501100

Notes and References

  1. http://arhiva.rik.parlament.gov.rs/arhiva-izbori-za-narodne-poslanike-2012.php Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине, 6. мај 2012. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (СРПСКА РАДИКАЛНА СТРАНКА - ДР ВОЈИСЛАВ ШЕШЕЉ)
  2. https://www.blic.rs/vesti/drustvo/kriju-profit-krive-vladu/66t4bvs "Kriju profit, krive Vladu"
  3. http://www.becej.rs/%D0%BE%D0%BF%D1%88%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%98/%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B3%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%98%D0%B5-%D1%83%D0%B4%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B6%D0%B5%D1%9A%D0%B0/%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%82%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8-%D0%BA%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8/ Спортски клубови
  4. http://arhiva.rik.parlament.gov.rs/arhiva-izbori-za-narodne-poslanike-1997.php ЗБИРНЕ ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (6 Зрењанин)
  5. https://otvoreniparlament.rs/transkript/5793?page=5 PRVA SEDNICA, 03.12.1997.
  6. Velika Srbija [Radical Party publication], Volume 11 Number 1201 (Belgrade, September 2000), p. 5.
  7. ИЗБОРИ 2000: ВЕЋЕ РЕПУБЛИКА И ВЕЋЕ ГРАЂАНА САВЕЗНЕ СКУПШТИНЕ, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Department of Statistics (2000), p. 46.
  8. See Law on Local Elections, Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 33/2002; made available via LegislationOnline, accessed 29 May 2021.
  9. http://arhiva.rik.parlament.gov.rs/arhiva-izbori-za-narodne-poslanike-2003.php Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине одржани 28. децембра 2003. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (СРПСКА РАДИКАЛНА СТРАНКА - др ВОЈИСЛАВ ШЕШЕЉ)
  10. http://arhiva.glas-javnosti.rs/arhiva/2004/01/13/srpski/P04011206.shtml "Skupština čeka demokrate"
  11. ДЕТАЉИ О НАРОДНОМ ПОСЛАНИКУ (ЖИВКОВ, ДРАГАН)
  12. Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 40 Number 5 (10 September 2004), p. 126.
  13. Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 40 Number 7 (20 September 2004), p. 164.
  14. In the 2004 local elections, the first one-third of mandates were awarded to candidates on successful lists in numerical order. Živkov received an automatic mandate. See Law on Local Elections, Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 33/2002; made available via LegislationOnline, accessed 29 May 2021.
  15. Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 40 Number 11 (21 October 2004), p. 24. Živkov was required to resign from the assembly when he joined the council.
  16. Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 41 Number 2 (18 April 2005), p. 14.
  17. http://arhiva.glas-javnosti.rs/arhiva/2006/06/21/srpski/V06062003.shtml "Policija češlja poslovanje"
  18. See Law on Local Elections (2007, amended 2011), made available via LegislationOnline, accessed 29 May 2021. For a comparison with the legislation in place during the previous electoral cycle, see Law on Local Elections, Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 33/2002; made available via LegislationOnline, accessed 29 May 2021.
  19. He received the 105th position in 2007. The list won eighty-one mandates. See Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине одржани 21. јануара и 8. фебрауара 2007. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (Српска радикална странка - др Војислав Шешељ), Republika Srbija - Republička izborna komisija, accessed 2 July 2021; and 14 February 2007 legislature, National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, accessed 15 February 2022.
  20. He received the eighty-second position in 2008. The list won seventy-eight mandates. See Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине одржани 11. маја 2008. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (СРПСКА РАДИКАЛНА СТРАНКА - Др ВОЈИСЛАВ ШЕШЕЉ), Republika Srbija - Republička izborna komisija, accessed 2 July 2021; 11 June 2008 legislature, National Assembly of Serbia, accessed 5 March 2017.
  21. The list won six seats. For the 2008 local elections, all mandates were assigned to candidates on successful lists at the discretion of the sponsoring parties or coalitions. See Law on Local Elections (2007), Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 129/2007); made available via LegislationOnline, accessed 29 May 2021. Živkov was not automatically elected by virtue of leading the list, although he was able to claim a mandate all the same. See Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 44 Number 4 (30 April 2008), p. 138; Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 44 Number 6 (12 May 2008), pp. 171-172.
  22. Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 44 Number 8 (28 May 2008), p. 195.
  23. http://arhiva.rik.parlament.gov.rs/arhiva-izbori-za-narodne-poslanike-2012.php Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине, 6. мај 2012. године, ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (СРПСКА РАДИКАЛНА СТРАНКА - ДР ВОЈИСЛАВ ШЕШЕЉ)
  24. Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 48 Number 4 (17 May 2012), p. 49.
  25. Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 48 Number 5 (3 July 2012), pp. 5-6.
  26. Source: Резултати избора за посланике у Скупштину Аутономне Покрајине Војводине по већинском изборном систему (2012) (10 Бечеј), Provincial Election Commission, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia, accessed 6 July 2021.
  27. Source: Резултати избора за посланике у Скупштину Аутономне Покрајине Војводине по већинском изборном систему (2004) (10 Бечеј), Provincial Election Commission, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia, accessed 30 July 2021.
  28. Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 42 Number 2 (26 January 2006), pp. 1-2; Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 42 Number 3 (7 February 2006), pp. 1-2; Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 42 Number 4 (20 February 2006), p. 1.
  29. Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 40 Number 5 (10 September 2004), p. 27; Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 40 Number 7 (20 September 2004), p. 3; Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 40 Number 8 (7 October 2004), p. 3.
  30. Sluźbeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 36 Number 6 (14 September 2000), p. 68; Službeni List (Opštine Bečej), Volume 36 Number 8 (23 October 2000), p. 112.