Radovan Višković Explained

Radovan Višković
Office:12th Prime Minister of Republika Srpska
Term Start:18 December 2018
President:Željka Cvijanović
Milorad Dodik
Predecessor:Željka Cvijanović
Successor:-->
Embed:yes
Office1:Member of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska
Term Start1:9 November 2006
Term End1:18 December 2018
Birth Date:1 February 1964
Birth Place:Vlasenica, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality:Bosnian Serb
Party:Alliance of Independent Social Democrats
Children:2
Alma Mater:University of Sarajevo

Radovan Višković (Serbian: Радован Вишковић; born 1 February 1964) is a Bosnian Serb politician serving as the 12th and current Prime Minister of Republika Srpska since December 2018. He is a member of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats.

Early life and education

Višković was born on 1 February 1964 in Buljevići, near Vlasenica (today in the municipality of Milići). He obtained the title of graduate traffic engineer at the Faculty of Transportation in Sarajevo (Road Transport) in 1990, then working there as assistant.

Višković completed postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Technology in Zvornik in 2005, and doctoral studies at the Faculty of Transportation in Doboj in 2015. He was then appointed assistant professor at the Faculty of Transportation in Doboj in the field of Transport Engineering, Road Traffic and Transport.[1]

Career

In July 1995, Lieutenant Višković worked as traffic assistant at the General Staff of the Army of Republika Srpska. According to the ICTY archive documents, on 13 July during the Srebrenica genocide, he was in contact with Colonel Rajko Krsmanović, traffic officer of convicted war criminal Radislav Krstić, about the transfer of captured Srebrenica Bosniaks (including the 700 captured in Sandići) to places such as Bratunac and Zvornik, where they were later shot. ICTY witnesses recall Višković meeting with Krsmanović right before the fall of Srebrenica, and later seeing him near the stadium in Nova Kasaba where captured people were detained.[2] In 2020, a witness testified at the trial of former police officers Miodrag Josipović and Branimir Tešić on Srebrenica-related charges in Bosnia, saying that Višković offered him money to dig up a mass grave in Milići in 1996.[3] Public media in Republika Srpska published the identity of the protected witness. Višković rebutted all allegations and announced lawsuits against the media and individuals who published the news.

After the war, he worked for the company "Bauxite" in Milići, as executive director for the transport sector.[1]

Višković began his political career in 2004 as a member of the Municipal Assembly of Milići, and in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 he was elected as member of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. He was Chairman of the parliamentary group of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD).[4] [5]

On 2 November 2018, Milorad Dodik, the president of the SNSD announced that Višković would be his choice for the new Prime Minister of Republika Srpska, succeeding Željka Cvijanović, who successfully ran for the position of President of Republika Srpska.[6] On 31 July 2023, the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on Višković under Executive Order 14033 for threatening regional security, peace, cooperation, and undermining the Dayton Agreement related to the Western Balkans.[7]

Personal life

Višković is married and has two children.[8]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Саобраћајни факултет у Добоју: Извјештај Комисије за избор једног наставника у звање доцента, кандидат Радован Вишковић (2015)
  2. https://www.istraga.ba/objavljujemo-haske-transktipte-presretnutih-razgovora-viskovicu-700-ljudi-se-nalazi-u-sandicima-ukrcajte-10-komada/ Istraga.ba
  3. News: Grebo . Lamija . Bosnia to Prosecute Media for Revealing Srebrenica Witness’s Identity . 23 September 2020 . Balkan Insight . 22 September 2020.
  4. https://www.snsd.org/index.php/ljudi/ljudi/potpredsjednici Савез независних социјалдемократа: Потпредсједници
  5. https://www.narodnaskupstinars.net/?q=ci/народна-скупштина/састав/народни-посланици/радован-вишковић Народна скупштина Републике Српске: Радован Вишковић
  6. https://www.pressreader.com/serbia/alo/20181102/281569471731940 Dodik: Radovana Viškovića za novog premijera Srpske
  7. Web site: U.S. Treasury Targets Four Officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina for Undermining the Dayton Peace Agreement . 31 July 2023.
  8. Web site: Radovan Višković. 22 December 2018. 22 December 2018.