Dragan Veselinov (Serbian Cyrillic: Драган Веселинов, born 3 May 1950[1]) is a Serbian politician. As the president of the People's Peasant Party (founded in 1990), he was among few Serbians to go openly against the Serbian nationalist policies of Slobodan Milošević and his allies in the early 1990s.[2] He previously served as Minister of Agriculture in the Serbian government. He served under two prime ministers, Zoran Đinđić and Zoran Živković, from 2001 until 2003, before resigning under public pressure when his chauffeur-driven government-issued vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian on a sidewalk in Belgrade.
On April 15, 2003, around 9:40 am, a government-issued Mitsubishi Pajero SUV with rotating lights turned on—driven by Stevan Bakalov with the Serbian Minister of Agriculture Veselinov and his bodyguard in the back seat—heading down Beogradska Street towards Slavija Square in downtown Belgrade struck a white Mercedes 190 taxi at the intersection with Njegoševa Street, then lost control and ended up on the sidewalk where three pedestrians were waiting to cross the street. The SUV struck the three pedestrians before slamming into a traffic pole and stopping. Thirty-two-year-old pedestrian Katarina Marić died instantly while another pedestrian, Srbislav Ćirić, was injured severely.[3]
Though the cabinet minister Veselinov did not show any intention of resigning initially, however, within two months—facing public pressure and mounting calls from within the government for him to do so—he announced his resignation on May 29, 2003.[4]
The court process started with the district public prosecutor's office issuing an indictment against Bakalov in late May 2004, more than a year after the event.[5] Eventually, on March 2, 2006, Veselinov's driver Bakalov received a five-year prison sentence for "causing the traffic accident".[6] The judicial council presided over by judge Branka Pejović found Bakalov guilty of driving at higher than allowed speed and running a red light. In May 2007, on appeal, the sentence was reduced to four years.[7] Bakalov served his sentence in the Zabela prison in Požarevac.[8]
On March 3, 2009—almost six years after the event and three years after the initial sentencing of Bakalov—as part of the legal process following a request by the victim Katarina Marić's family, Veselinov was questioned on suspicion that he had provided false testimony during the trial, supposedly lying about the car going through the Beogradska-Njegoševa intersection on a green light.[9]
Referencesedit
^. 2016-06-05. Archived from the original on 2016-06-05. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
^Belgrade Journal; Double-Headed Eagle Cries to Serbs for Revenge, by Celestine Bohlen for The New York Times, September 12, 1990
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May 23, 2024
dragan, veselinov, serbian, cyrillic, Драган, Веселинов, born, 1950, serbian, politician, president, people, peasant, party, founded, 1990, among, serbians, openly, against, serbian, nationalist, policies, slobodan, milošević, allies, early, 1990s, previously,. Dragan Veselinov Serbian Cyrillic Dragan Veselinov born 3 May 1950 1 is a Serbian politician As the president of the People s Peasant Party founded in 1990 he was among few Serbians to go openly against the Serbian nationalist policies of Slobodan Milosevic and his allies in the early 1990s 2 He previously served as Minister of Agriculture in the Serbian government He served under two prime ministers Zoran Đinđic and Zoran Zivkovic from 2001 until 2003 before resigning under public pressure when his chauffeur driven government issued vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian on a sidewalk in Belgrade Dragan VeselinovDragan VeselinovVeselinov in 2001Minister of AgricultureIn office 25 January 2001 1 July 2003Prime MinisterZoran ĐinđicZoran ZivkovicPreceded byZivanko RadovancevSucceeded byStojan JevticPersonal detailsBorn 1950 05 03 3 May 1950 age 74 Baranda FPR YugoslaviaNationalitySerbianPolitical partyPeople s Peasant PartyAlma materUniversity of BelgradeOccupationEconomist politicianCar crash and ministerial resignation editOn April 15 2003 around 9 40 am a government issued Mitsubishi Pajero SUV with rotating lights turned on driven by Stevan Bakalov with the Serbian Minister of Agriculture Veselinov and his bodyguard in the back seat heading down Beogradska Street towards Slavija Square in downtown Belgrade struck a white Mercedes 190 taxi at the intersection with Njegoseva Street then lost control and ended up on the sidewalk where three pedestrians were waiting to cross the street The SUV struck the three pedestrians before slamming into a traffic pole and stopping Thirty two year old pedestrian Katarina Maric died instantly while another pedestrian Srbislav Ciric was injured severely 3 Though the cabinet minister Veselinov did not show any intention of resigning initially however within two months facing public pressure and mounting calls from within the government for him to do so he announced his resignation on May 29 2003 4 The court process started with the district public prosecutor s office issuing an indictment against Bakalov in late May 2004 more than a year after the event 5 Eventually on March 2 2006 Veselinov s driver Bakalov received a five year prison sentence for causing the traffic accident 6 The judicial council presided over by judge Branka Pejovic found Bakalov guilty of driving at higher than allowed speed and running a red light In May 2007 on appeal the sentence was reduced to four years 7 Bakalov served his sentence in the Zabela prison in Pozarevac 8 On March 3 2009 almost six years after the event and three years after the initial sentencing of Bakalov as part of the legal process following a request by the victim Katarina Maric s family Veselinov was questioned on suspicion that he had provided false testimony during the trial supposedly lying about the car going through the Beogradska Njegoseva intersection on a green light 9 References edit Dragan Veselinov Otvoreni parlament 2016 06 05 Archived from the original on 2016 06 05 Retrieved 2020 06 10 Belgrade Journal Double Headed Eagle Cries to Serbs for Revenge by Celestine Bohlen for The New York Times September 12 1990 Zlocin bez kazne Kurir April 14 2004 Veselinov podneo ostavku B92 May 29 2003 Mihajlovic stitio ubice moje kcerke Glas javnosti June 3 2004 Stevan Bakalov osuđen na pet godina zatvora Glas javnosti March 3 2006 Godisnjica pogibije Katarine Maric B92 April 15 2008 Porodici poginule Katarine Maric odsteta od 5 000 evra Vesti online August 5 2012 Saslusan Dragan Veselinov B92 March 4 2009External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dragan Veselinov Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dragan Veselinov amp oldid 1159717085, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
