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President of Serbia and Montenegro
Flag of the President of Yugoslavia (1993–2003).svg
Standard of the President
Coat of arms of Yugoslavia (1992–2003).svg
Longest serving
Zoran Lilić

25 June 1993 – 25 June 1997
Residence White Palace, Belgrade
Precursor President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia
Formation 15 June 1992 (15 June 1992)
First holder Dobrica Ćosić
Final holder Svetozar Marović
Abolished 3 June 2006 (3 June 2006)

The President of Serbia and Montenegro (Serbian: Председник Србије и Црне Горе, romanized: Predsednik Srbije i Crne Gore) was the head of state of Serbia and Montenegro. From its establishment in 1992 until 2003, when the country was reconstituted as a confederacy (state union) via constitutional reform, the head of state was known as the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbian: Председник Савезне Републике Југославије, romanized: Predsednik Savezne Republike Jugoslavije). With the constitutional reforms of 2003 and the merging of the offices of head of government and head of state, the full title of the president was President of Serbia and Montenegro and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro (Serbian: Председник Србије и Црне Горе / Председник Савета министара Србије и Црне Горе). In 2006 the office was abolished as the state union was dissolved, with Serbia and Montenegro becoming independent countries and was followed by Kosovo in 2008 although it received limited international recognition.

Authority

As head of state, the president had the power to

  • represent the country at home and abroad
  • appoint and recall heads of diplomatic and consular missions
  • receive letters of credence and recall from foreign diplomatic representatives
  • confer medals and other decorations
  • promulgate laws passed by the Parliament
  • call for parliamentary elections

In 2003, the powers of the president were extended to include the right to chair the Council of Ministers and propose the composition of the Council of Ministers to the parliament, effectively merging the powers of the head of government into the office. However, although the president became de jure both head of state and head of government, his role was largely limited because all the institutions were indirectly elected by confederal parliament, which was itself elected by parliaments of member states.

Elections

Under the 1992 constitution, the president was elected by the Federal Assembly of Yugoslavia for a four-year term. After the constitutional amendments of 2000, direct elections for the office of President were introduced. Under the 2003 constitution, the president was elected at the proposal of the president and vice president of the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro for a four-year term. The president of Serbia and Montenegro was a member of the Supreme Defence Council together with the president of Serbia and the president of Montenegro.

The results of the direct presidential elections of 2000 were as follows:

Candidate Party 28 September figures 10 October figures
Votes % Votes %
Vojislav Koštunica Democratic Opposition of Serbia 2,474,392 50.38 2,470,304 51.71
Slobodan Milošević SPS–JUL–SNP 1,951,761 39.74 1,826,799 38.24
Tomislav Nikolić Serbian Radical Party 292,759 5.96 289,013 6.05
Vojislav Mihailović Serbian Renewal Movement 146,585 2.98 145,019 3.04
Miodrag Vidojković Affirmative Party 46,421 0.95 45,964 0.96
Total 4,911,918 100.00 4,777,099 100.00
Valid votes 4,911,918 97.32 4,777,099 97.19
Invalid/blank votes 135,371 2.68 137,991 2.81
Total votes 5,047,289 100.00 4,915,090 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 7,249,831 69.62 6,871,595 71.53
Source: CESID, IFES

Presidents

There were six presidents of FR Yugoslavia (two acting) after its assertion of independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) in 1992 up until its dissolution in 2003. Svetozar Marović of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro was the only President of the FR Yugoslavia after its constitutional reforms and reconstitution as a confederacy. He was inaugurated on March 7, 2003. After the declaration of independence of Montenegro, on June 3, 2006, the president announced on June 4, 2006 the termination of his office.

     Socialist Party of Serbia      Democratic Party of Serbia      Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro      Independent

No. Portrait Name
(Lifespan)
Representing Term of office Political party Note
Took office Left office Time in office
Presidents of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
1992–2003
1
Dobrica Ćosić
Dobrica Ćosić
(1921–2014)
Serbia 15 June 1992 1 June 1993 351 days Independent
Miloš Radulović
Miloš Radulović
(1929–2017)
Acting
Montenegro 1 June 1993 25 June 1993 24 days DPS
2
[[File:Зоран Лилић председнички избори.jpg|100px|Zoran Lilić]]
Zoran Lilić
(born 1953)
Serbia 25 June 1993 25 June 1997 4 years, 0 days SPS
Srđa Božović
Srđa Božović
(born 1955)
Acting
Montenegro 25 June 1997 23 July 1997 28 days DPS
3
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
(1941–2006)
Serbia 23 July 1997 7 October 2000 3 years, 76 days SPS Forced to step down in the Bulldozer Revolution.
4
Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica
(born 1944)
Serbia 7 October 2000 7 March 2003 2 years, 151 days DSS The only president elected in direct election.
President of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro
2003–2006
5
Svetozar Marović
Svetozar Marović
(born 1955)
Montenegro 7 March 2003 3 June 2006 3 years, 88 days DPS Also head of government as Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro (offices merged).

Timeline

Svetozar Marović Vojislav Koštunica Slobodan Milošević Zoran Lilić Miloš Radulović (politician) Dobrica Ćosić

Living former presidents

As of December 25, 2024, there were three living former presidents of Serbia and Montenegro (until 2003 Yugoslavia). The most recent death of a former president was that of Dobrica Ćosić (1992–1993), on May 18 2014. The living former presidents, in order of service, are:

See also

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