Goran Rakić
Goran Rakić (Serbian Cyrillic: Горан Ракић, Albanian: Goran Rakiq; born 1971) is a Kosovo Serb politician who was serving as Minister for Communities and Returns in the Government of Kosovo from 22 March 2021 until his resignation on 5 November 2022. Prior to this, he served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo[a] and as the Minister of Administration and Local Government. He is a former mayor of North Mitrovica and the current president of the Serb List, an ethnic Serb minority political party.
Goran Rakić | |
|---|---|
| Горан Ракић | |
Goran Rakić in March 2021 | |
| Minister for Communities and Returns | |
| In office 22 March 2021 – 5 November 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Albin Kurti |
| Preceded by | Dalibor Jevtić |
| Succeeded by | Nenad Rašić |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo | |
| In office 3 June 2020 – 22 March 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Avdullah Hoti |
| Succeeded by | Emilija Redžepi |
| Minister of Administration and Local Government | |
| In office 3 June 2020 – 22 March 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Avdullah Hoti |
| Preceded by | Emilija Redžepi |
| Succeeded by | Elbert Krasniqi |
| Mayor of North Mitrovica | |
| In office 23 February 2014 – 3 June 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Krstimir Pantić |
| Succeeded by | Aleksandar Spirić (acting) |
| Leader of the Serb List | |
| Assumed office 17 July 2017[1] | |
| Preceded by | Slavko Simić |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1971 (age 51–52) Titova Mitrovica, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia |
| Nationality | |
| Political party | Serb List |
| Other political affiliations | Serbian Progressive Party |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Priština |
Early life
Goran Rakić was born in 1971 in Titova Mitrovica (Kosovska Mitrovica / Mitrovica), which was then a part of the SFR Yugoslavia, to an ethnic Serb family. He graduated from the Faculty of Economics, University of Priština.[2] He was employed as the director of JKP "Standard" Kosovska Mitrovica, and before that in the Fire Station Kosovska Mitrovica.
Political career
He has been performing the function of the mayor of the municipality of North Mitrovica after swearing an oath to the Republic of Kosovo in 2014. He won his second four-year term in 2017 Kosovan local elections. Since 2017, Rakic has been the president of the Serb List, which has power in all ten Serb-majority municipalities, as well as all ten guaranteed seats in the Assembly of Kosovo for the Serb community.[3] He is also the president of the municipality board of the Serbian Progressive Party in North Mitrovica.[2]
In the summer of 2017, Rakić and Milan Radoičić, a vice president of the Serb List met with Behgjet Pacolli, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo in Budva to discuss the possibility of the Serb List joining the government of Kosovo and supporting Ramush Haradinaj as the prime minister.[4]
In January 2019, he said that Serbs will never allow the reunification of North and South Mitrovica as that would be a cover for ethnic cleansing against the Kosovo Serbs.[5]
On 3 June 2020, he took the office of one of the Deputy Prime Ministers and the Minister of Administration and Local Government in the Hoti cabinet.[6]
In July 2020, Serb List caused a controversy in Kosovo by announcing that they will support Serbia's COVID-19 curfew measures and have vowed to locally implement them in Kosovo. They also vowed to support Aleksandar Vučić in the “fight” for Kosovo during the dialogue.[7] Shortly after, a parliamentary resolution initiated by Vjosa Osmani, the Speaker of the Parliament, condemning a statement by the Serb List failed to pass.[8]
On 27 July 2020, Serbian Anti-Corruption Agency started an investigation against Rakić and other high ranking Serb officials in Kosovo due to the suspicion that they violated the law because they did not report their property and income to the Anti-Corruption Agency.[9]
On 22 March 2021, Rakić took office of the Minister for Communities and Returns in the second Kurti cabinet.[10] He announced his resignation from this position on 5 November 2022.[11]
Personal life
He is married and has two children.[3]
Notes and references
- Notes
- ^ The political status of Kosovo is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, Kosovo is formally recognised as an independent state by 101 out of 193 (52.3%) UN member states (with another 13 recognising it at some point but then withdrawing their recognition), while Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own territory.
- References
- ^ https://www.aa.com.tr/ba/politika/kosovo-goran-rakić-izabran-za-predsednika-srpske-liste-/863457 Kosovo: Goran Rakić izabran za predsednika “Srpske liste”
- ^ a b Tasić, Piše: Jelena. "Izabrani gradonačelnik". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ a b "Kabinet gradonačelnika". Zubin Potok. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "KRIK objavio fotografiju - Pacoli, Rakić i Radoičić zajedno na jahti". N1 Srbija (in Serbian). Retrieved 17 August 2020.
- ^ "GRADONAČELNIK GORAN RAKIĆ PORUČIO: Srbi nikada neće dozvoliti ujedinjenje severnog i južnog dela Кosovske Mitrovice! Ujedinjenje Mitrovice paravan je za etničko čišćenje!". kurir.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- ^ "Izabrana nova Vlada Kosova, podržala je i Srpska lista". Glas Amerike (in Serbian). Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- ^ "Kosovo Serbs to Follow Vucic's Curfew Order, Says Coalition Partner 'Serb List'". Exit - Explaining Albania. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- ^ "Resolution Condemning Kosovo Coalition Ally's Support of Serbia in Dialogue Fails to Pass". Exit - Explaining Albania. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- ^ CINS, Piše (27 July 2020). "Agencija pokrenula postupak protiv Gorana Rakića i još dva srpska funkcionera sa Kosova". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ "Izglasana nova vlada Kosova, imaće 15 ministarstava, Srpska lista će se žaliti". N1 (in Serbian). 22 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
- ^ "Serbs in northern Kosovo quit state jobs in licence plate protest". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
External links
- Српска листа - Косово и Метохија - Званични сајт