Milosevic
A Biography
Adam LeBor
In Loving Memory
Maurice LeBor
1924–2001
‘I urge you to read Adam LeBor’s excellent new biography of Slobodan Milosevic. I fancied that I already knew a great deal of the story but LeBor has combined journalistic flair with a historian’s grasp of detail to bring us a haunting portrait of the man the West said it ‘could do business with’ . . . For those who witnessed the destruction of the former Yugoslavia this will be a sad book. For those who stood by and did nothing it is a book that should make them wince. I recommend it to both but also to a wider public who should know about the policies pursued in their name’ Fergal Keane, Mail on Sunday
‘It charts a cogent path through the interminable complexities of Balkan politics, and the sense of victimhood on which Milosevic’s rise to power was based’ Evening Standard
‘An engaging account of the Milosevic years and the misjudgements that caused ethnic cleansing, official corruption and a collapse into war and penury’ Financial Times
‘The most engrossing biography so far of a man as complex and shifting as the regions he tore apart. This vigorous book takes Milosevic himself as its focal point: LeBor is able to point to a remarkable black hole at the centre of modern Balkan history – Milosevic’s complete lack of moral scruple which infected almost all those closest to him’ The Times
‘LeBor charts with dexterity and black humour the rise, and eventual fall, of this provincial Communist functionary . . . LeBor is right to link Milosevic’s politics with his domestic life, and peek behind the closely-guarded doors leading into Slobo and Mira’s kitchen. For it is there, it appears, that the destinies of millions were decided’ Independent
A miracle alone can save the Balkans from war, and I firmly avow the belief that the days of miracles are over, even at the risk of proving myself a false prophet. The Near East is nothing but a vast field of conjectures, and so it is difficult to know where to begin.
Reginald Wyon, British foreign correspondent
The Balkans from Within (1904)
Contents
Dramatis Personae
Preface
1. Childhood
Growing Up in Brotherhood and Unity: 1941–58
2. Meeting Mira
Teenage Sweethearts: 1958–62
3. Building In
First Steps up the Party Ladder: 1962–77
4. The Capitalist Years
Slobodan in America: 1978–82
5. Capturing Belgrade
Using the Network: 1982–4
6. All the President’s Men
Wooing Two Constitutencies: 1985–6
7. Epiphany
Unleashing Nationalism: 1986–April 1987
8. Et Tu, Slobodan
Ousting Stambolic: August–September 1987
9. There Are No Friends Anymore
The Reform Commission and the Yoghurt Revolution: 1988
10. Coronation in Kosovo
1989 and All That
11. War No. 1, Slovenia
Small War in Slovenia, Not Many Dead: 1989–91
12. War No. 2, Croatia
A Joint Criminal Enterprise: 1990–2
13. Street Protests
Ten Days That Shook Belgrade: March 1991
14. What a Carve Up
Preparing for War No. 3, Bosnia: 1991–2
15. War No. 3, Bosnia
The Bosnian Serb Republic: 1993
16. Milan Panic
The Two Republics of Federal Yugoslavia: 1992–3
17. Meanwhile, on the Home Front
Hijacking the Yugoslav Economy: 1992–3
18. Weathering Operation Storm
NATO Bombs the Bosnian Serbs: 1994–5
19. America to the Rescue
Sarajevo Relieved, Eventually: Summer 1995
20. The Only Man Who Matters
Dayton: November 1995
21. Enter Mira, Stage Left
Setting up JUL: 1995–7
22. War No. 4, Kosovo – Part 1
Finishing Unfinished Business: 1998
23. War No. 4, Kosovo – Part 2
NATO Bombs the Serbs: 1999
24. Toppling Milosevic from Budapest
One Day that Shook the World: 5 October 2000
25. Slobodan at The Hague
‘It’s Your Problem’: 2001–2
Afterword
Picture Section
Maps
Appendix 1: Milosevic and Tudjman Court Yugoslavia’s Jews
Appendix 2: Terms of Surrender
Acknowledgements
Chronology
Bibliography
Notes
A Note on the Author
By the Same Author
List of Illustrations
Dramatis Personae
Antic, Dragan Hadzi
Former chief of Politika newspaper, associate of Milosevic family
Arkan
Paramilitary leader, indicted for war crimes
Austin, David
British diplomat, negotiated with Slobodan Milosevic in mid-1990s
Avramovic, Dragoslav
Former governor of Yugoslav national bank. Stabilised economy in 1994
Babic, Milan
Political leader of Krajina Serbs during early 1990s
Bassiouni, Professor Cherif
UN Special Rapporteur on Bosnia. Author of standard work on ethnic cleansing in Bosnia
Berisavljevic, Zivan
Former Yugoslav ambassador to London
Bildt, Carl
European diplomat representing the EU in negotiations with Milosevic. Worked with David Austin
Boban, Mate
Leader of Bosnian Croats in early 1990s
Bogdanovic, Radmilo
Serbian interior minister under Milosevic
Bulatovic, Momir
President of Montenegro 1990–8
Carrington, Lord
Host of the 1991 peace conference at The Hague, under EU auspices
Christopher, Warren
US Secretary of State under Clinton
Clarke, General Wesley
NATO Supreme Commander during 1999 bombing of Serbia
Cosic, Dobrica
Serbian nationalist writer, seen as nation’s intellectual godfather
Covic, Nebojsa
Former mayor of Belgrade in mid-1990s, Serbian deputy prime minister in post-Milosevic government
Crnobrnja, Mihailo
Former economic adviser to Milosevic, until 1989
Curuvija, Slavko
Murdered opposition journalist
Dedakovic, Milan
Leader of defence of Vukovar
Djilas, Milovan
Yugoslavia’s most famous dissident in the Tito era
Dizdarevic, Raif
Former president of Federal Yugoslavia
Djindjic, Zoran
President of Serbia after Milosevic era. Assassinated in March 2003
Djokic, Ljubislav
Bulldozer driver during 5 October 2000
Djukic, Slavoljub
Serbian biographer of Milosevic
Doko, Jerko
Former Bosnian defence minister
Draskovic, Danica
Wife of below
Draskovic, Vuk
Opposition leader in Milosevic era
Eagleburger, Lawrence
Former US ambassador to Belgrade
Gajic, Milica
Wife of Marko Milosevic
Gajic-Glisic, Dobrila
Former secretary of Serb defence minister General Tomislav Simovic
Galic, Stanislav
Bosnian Serb General, commander of soldiers shelling Sarajevo. On trial at I
CTY for war crimes
Ganic, Ejup
Muslim Bosnian politician
Garasanin, Ilija
Nineteenth-century Serb nationalist theoretician
Gotovina, Ante
General in Croatian army, commander of Operation Storm in summer 1995 when Serbs fled from Krajina
Grubacic, Braca
Belgrade publisher of VIP newsletter
Gracanin, Petar
President of Serbia 1988-9
Grizelj, Jug
Former leader of Yugoslav journalists’ association
Hadzic, Goran
Serb leader in Vukovar area in 1991
Hasanovic, Tahir
Vice president of the New Democracy Party, former boyfriend of Marija Milosevic
Holbrooke, Richard
US Special envoy to the Balkans. Regarded as author of Dayton peace agreement
Hurd, Lord
Former British foreign secretary
Ilic, Vladimir
Mayor of southern Serbian city of Cacak. A leader of the 5 October uprising
Izetbegovic, Alija
Jansa, Janez
Minister of defence in Slovene independence war in summer 1991
Jezda, Gazda
Full name Jezdimir Vasiljevic. Head of Jugoskandik pyramid scheme
Jashari, Adem
KLA leader killed by Serb forces in March 1998
Jovic, Borisav
Former high-ranking Serb politician and close associate of Milosevic
Kadijevic, Veljko
Federal minister of defence 1988-92
Kapetanovic, Muhamed
Bosnian youth, injured by shelling in Sarajevo
Karadjordjevic, Prince Aleksandar
Yugoslav ruler before WWII
Karadzic, Radovan
Bosnian Serb leader, indicted for war crimes
Karic, Boguljub
Banker, businessman and former minister in Milosevic government
Kertes, Mihalj
Head of customs under Milosevic
Kontic, Radoje
Yugoslav prime minister in mid-1990s under Milosevic
Kostunica, Vojislav
President of Yugoslavia
Kovacevic, Vlada
Aka ‘Tref’. Belgrade businessman, partner of Marko Milosevic
Kovacevic, Zivorad
Former mayor of Belgrade and Yugoslav ambassador to the United States
Krajisnik, Momcilo
Bosnian Serb leader. In custody at ICTY, charged with war crimes and genocide
Krunic, Bosko
Communist Party official in Novi Sad in 1988
Kucan, Milan
President of Slovenia
Lilic, Zoran
Former president of Yugoslavia in mid 1990s
Lukovic, Milorad (Legija)
Former commander of Special Operations Unit. Wanted at time of writing (April 2003) by Serbian authorities in connection with murder of Zoran Djindjic
Mandic, Klara
Head of Serbian-Jewish Friendship Society
Markovic, Ante
Yugoslav prime minister in early 1990s
Markovic, Draza
Former partisan and politician. Uncle of Mira Markovic
Markovic, Ljubica
Daughter of Momcilo Markovic (i.e. half-sister of Mira)
Markovic, Mira (Mirjana)
Wife of Slobodan Milosevic
Markovic, Momcilo (Moma)
Father of Mira. Serbian politican, brother of Draza
Markovic, Rade
Head of Serbian intelligence service late 1998 to end 2000 Arrested by new regime in January 2001
Markovic, Mihailo
Serbian nationalist ideologue, later joined the Socialist Party
Matic, Slavoljub
Mayor of Pozarevac after fall of Milosevic
Milan, Martic
Leader of Krajina rebel Serbs. Surrendered to ICTY in spring 2002
Mesic, Stipe
President of Croatia
Milanovic, Dafina
Former head of Dafiment pyramid scheme
Milanovic, Zoran
Former bartender at ‘Madona’ disco, owned by Marko Milosevic (son of Slobodan)
Miletic, Vera
Mother of Mira Markovic
Milosevic, Borislav
Brother of Slobodan
Milosevic, Darinka
Sister of Svetozar Milosevic, father of Milosevic
Milosevic, Marija
Daughter of Slobodan
Milosevic, Marko
Son of Slobodan
Milosevic, Simeun
Grandfather of Slobodan
Milosevic, Stanislava
Mother of Slobodan Milosevic
Milosevic, Svetozar
Father of Slobodan Milosevic
Minovic, Zivorad
Former editor of Politika newspaper
Former president of Serbia. Surrendered to ICTY in January 2003
Mitevic, Dusan
Former head of Belgrade Television
Mladic, Ratko
Former head of Bosnian Serb army. Indicted for war crimes
Montgomery, William
US diplomat in Belgrade in 1970s. Ran the Office for Yugoslav Affairs in Budapest in summer 2000
Nagy, Imre
Leader of Hungarian revolution in 1956
Naumann, General Klaus
NATO General who negotiated with Milosevic in October 1998 and early 1999
Nenadovic, Aleksandar
Former editor of Politika newspaper
Neville-Jones, Pauline
Former senior British diplomat, worked with Douglas Hurd for NatWest Markets
Ojdanic, Dragoljub
Former Yugoslav army chief of staff. Surrendered to the ICTY in 2002
Oric, Naser
Former bodyguard of Milosevic. Leader of Srebrenica Muslim fighters
Owen, Lord
European Union envoy to former Yugoslavia
Plavsic, Biljana
Former Bosnian Serb president. Sentenced at the ICTY in February 2003 to eleven years in prison for crimes against humanity
Panic, Milan
Serb-American businessman. Briefly Yugoslav prime minister in 1992
Pavkovic, General Nebojsa
Army chief of staff under Milosevic, sacked in June 2002
Pavlovic, Dragisa
Serb politician, opponent of Milosevic in late 1980s
Perisic, General Momcilo
Former army chief of staff, opponent of Milosevic in late 1990s
Predojevic, Vaso
Former officer in Yugoslav army
Popov, Nebojsa
University colleague of Milosevic, later opposition leader
Racan, Ivica
Croatian prime minister
Radovic, Aleksandar
President of the Commission for Investigating Economic and Financial Abuses of the Milosevic Regime
Rankovic, Aleksandar
Head of Tito-era secret police
Reihl-Kir, Josip
Croatian police chief in eastern Slavonia in 1991
Ristic, Ljubisa
Theatre director, president of Jugoslav United Left party, ally of Mira Markovic
Rose, General Sir Michael
British General in charge of UN troops in Bosnia in 1994
Smith, General Sir Rupert
Successor to General Sir Michael Rose
Rugova, Ibrahim
President of Kosovo (albeit unrecognised)
Sainovic, Nikola
Former minister in Serbia. In detention at the ICTY. Co-indicted with Milosevic for war crimes in Kosovo
Sarinic, Hrvoje
Tudjman’s secret envoy to Milosevic
Seselj, Vojislav
Leader of ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party and former Milosevic ally. Surrendered to ICTY in February 2003
Silajdzic, Haris
Bosnian Muslim politician
Simatovic, Franko
Former commander of the Special Operations
(a.k.a. Frenki)
Unit (JSO). Arrested by Serbian authorities in March 2003
Simovic, Tomislav
Former Serb defence minister
Singer, Aca
Head of Yugoslav Jewish community
Sogorov, Milan
Communist party leader in Voivodina in 1988
Solevic, Miroslav
Former Serb nationalist leader in Kosovo
Spegelj, General Martin
Former Croatian defence minister
Stambolic, Bojana
Daughter of Ivan Stambolic
Stambolic, Ivan
Former friend and mentor of Slobodan Milosevic. Murdered in the summer of 2000
Stambolic, Katja
Wife of Ivan Stambolic
Stambolic, Petar