Miroslav Aleksić (born 1978)

Miroslav Aleksić (Serbian Cyrillic: Мирослав Алексић; born 6 August 1978) is a Serbian politician and agriculturist.^[1] He is the president of the People's Movement of Serbia (NPS) and a prominent figure in the opposition to Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić. Between 2017 and 2023 he was the deputy president of the People's Party.

Miroslav Aleksić Мирослав Алексић
Aleksić in 2023
Member of the National Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 August 2022
In office 3 June 2016 – 3 August 2020
Mayor of Trstenik
In office 6 July 2012 – 24 June 2016
Preceded by	Stevan Đaković
Succeeded by	Aleksandar Ćirić
Personal details
Born	(1978-08-06) 6 August 1978 (age 45) Kruševac, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Political party	URS (2010–2014) NSS/NPS (2014–2017) Narodna (2017–2023) NPS (2023–present)
Alma mater	Higher Business School University of Priština Faculty of Law for Commerce and Judiciary

Aleksić was the mayor of Trstenik from 2012 to 2016 and is currently serving his second term in the National Assembly of Serbia. Prior to the formation of the People's Party, he was at different times a member of the United Regions of Serbia (URS) and the leader of NPS until 2017, when NPS was reorganised as the People's Party. He refounded NPS in 2023.

Early life and private career

Aleksić was born on 6 August 1978 in Kruševac, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia.^[2] He finished elementary and electrical engineering high school in Trstenik and graduated from the higher business school in Belgrade in 2000, specialising in taxes and customs. He received a degree from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Priština in Kosovska Mitrovica (North Mitrovica) in 2010, and in 2014 he completed a master's degree in economics and law from the Faculty of Law for Commerce and Judiciary in Novi Sad.^[3]

Aleksić's family has been involved in agricultural production for several decades, and he began working in a family-owned business in the sector in 2000; the company was at one time one of the leading exporters of fresh plums from Serbia. From 2008 to 2015, he was the owner of a company that opened and operated a gas station in Trstenik in partnership with the oil company OMV. He was director of the directorate for the planning and construction company Trstenik from 2008 to 2012.^[4]

Politician

Mayor of Trstenik (2012–16)

Aleksić began his political career as a member of the United Regions of Serbia, serving as president of its Trstenik board in the early 2010s. He appeared in the lead position on the party's electoral list for the Trstenik municipal assembly in the 2012 Serbian local elections and was elected when the list won a plurality victory with eighteen out of forty-nine mandates.^[5] After the election, the URS formed a local coalition government with the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), New Serbia (NS), the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), and the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia (PUPS).^[6] Aleksić was chosen as president of the municipality (i.e., mayor) and served in this role for the next four years.^[7] He issued a declaration in 2013 that genetically modified food would not be produced in the municipality, and he opposed nickel mining in the area on the grounds that it would jeopardise several local villages.^[8][9]

Aleksić became a prominent URS spokesperson at the republic level early in his mayoralty.^[10] He was given the eleventh position on the party's list in the 2014 Serbian parliamentary election; the list did not cross the electoral threshold to win representation in the assembly.^[11] The URS's organisation largely became dormant after the election, and Aleksić left the party later in the year to become acting president of a breakaway group originally called the People's Party of Serbia (NSS).^[12][13][14] The group formally constituted itself as the People's Movement of Serbia in January 2015, and Aleksić was chosen as its leader in February.^[15][16][17]

The New Democratic Party (NDS) joined Trstenik's governing coalition in mid-2014, continuing their affiliation after being renamed as the Social Democratic Party (SDS) later in the year.^[18] The Progressives, facing serious local divisions, left the coalition in June 2015.^[19]

The People's Movement of Serbia formed a political alliance with SDS in early 2016, and the party formally contested the that year's local elections in Trstenik under the SDS's banner. The NPS/SDS list narrowly lost the election to an alliance headed by the Progressive Party; the Progressives formed a new administration after the election with the Socialists and the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO), and Aleksić's term as mayor came to an end.^[20] He served as an opposition member of the local assembly for the term that followed.^[21]

Member of the National Assembly (2016–20)

The Social Democratic Party contested the 2016 Serbian parliamentary election on a coalition list with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV). Some of the SDS's list positions were reserved for NPS candidates. Aleksić, as the NPS's leader, was given the eighth position and was elected when the list won thirteen mandates; he was the only member of his party to win a mandate.^[22] The Progressive Party and its allies won the election, and Aleksić served afterward in opposition. He was chosen as deputy leader of the SDS–NPS parliamentary group, which had five members in total.^[23]

During his first term in parliament, Aleksić was a member of the agriculture, forestry, and water management committee; a deputy member of the committees on Kosovo and Metohija and the rights of the child; and a member of the parliamentary friendship groups with Austria, Belarus, China, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland, and the United States of America.^[24]

In October 2017, he permitted the People's Movement of Serbia to be re-registered as the People's Party under Vuk Jeremić's leadership, thereby allowing the party to bypass Serbia's registration process for new parties.^[25] Aleksić was chosen as a vice-president of the reconstituted party at its founding convention in the same month.^[26]

Boycott and return to the assembly (2019–present)

Along with several other opposition parties, the People's Party began a policy of non-participation with state institutions, including the national assembly, in 2019 and ultimately boycotted the 2020 parliamentary election and the concurrent 2020 local elections. Aleksić was one of the most prominent figures in calling for a total election boycott in all jurisdictions and at all levels of government.^[27] He was also vocal in accusing Aleksandar Vučić and Serbia's SNS-led administration of involvement with criminal networks in the country.^[28]

Serbia's opposition groups ended their boycott of the electoral process in 2022. Aleksić appeared in the third position on the coalition United for the Victory of Serbia list in the 2022 parliamentary election and was re-elected when the list won thirty-eight seats.^[29] The SNS and its allies won the election, and Aleksić now leads the People's Party assembly group in opposition. He is a member of the defence and internal affairs committee; a member of the committee on finance, state budget, and control of public spending; a member of the agriculture, forestry, and water management committee; a member of the committee on administration, budgetary, mandate, and immunity issues; a deputy member of the committee on the economy, regional development, trade, tourism, and energy; and a member of the European Union–Serbia stabilisation and association committee.^[30]

In May 2023 he took part in the mass Serbia Against Violence protests, which were triggered after the Belgrade school shooting and Mladenovac and Smederevo shootings.^[31]

Political positions

Kosovo question

See also: Political status of Kosovo

Aleksić is against the recognition of independence of Kosovo, criticising Aleksandar Vučić's policies on Kosovo.^[32][33] He voiced his opposition to the Agreement on the path to normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia, claiming that Serbia is "not getting fast-track EU membership or anything" in return.^[34]

European Union

See also: Accession of Serbia to the European Union

In November 2022, Aleksić called on the European Union to be "just as vocal on issues important to the lives of Serbian citizens, such as the fight against crime and corruption and freedom of the media, as it is when it points to the need to harmonize Serbia's foreign and security policy with the EU".^[35]

References

1. Nikolić, Maja (29 June 2023). "Kako odgovoriti na uvrede? Šta kažu "ponavljač", "pijanac", prodavac pljeskavica". N1 (in Serbian). Retrieved 29 June 2023.
2. "Miroslav Aleksić". otvoreniparlament.rs. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
3. Мирослав Алексић, People's Party (Serbia), accessed 7 July 2022.
4. Мирослав Алексић, People's Party (Serbia), accessed 7 July 2022.
5. РЕШЕЊЕ О УТВРЂИВАЊУ ЗБИРНЕ ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ, Izbori 2012, Municipality of Trstenik.
6. "Trstenik dobio većinu", B92, 6 June 2012, accessed 17 July 2017.
7. MIROSLAV ALEKSIĆ, Otvoreni Parlament, accessed 17 July 2017.
8. "Aleksić: U Trsteniku se neće proizvoditi GMO", Blic (Source: Tanjug), 3 March 2013, accessed 7 July 2017.
9. Р. Станковић, "Трстеник против рудника никла", Politika, 14 November 2013.
10. "Aleksić: Ministri URS-a izbačeni iz vlade bez zamerki", Blic (Source: Tanjug), 3 August 2013, accessed 17 July 2017.
11. Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине одржани 16. и 23. марта 2014. године – ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (7 УЈЕДИЊЕНИ РЕГИОНИ СРБИЈЕ - МЛАЂАН ДИНКИЋ), Republic Election Commission, Republic of Serbia, accessed 14 June 2022.
12. "Analyst says reassembling Serbian opposition impossible with old leaders," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 8 July 2014 (Source: Politika website, Belgrade, in Serbian 7 Jul 14).
13. "Do kraja godine osnivačka skupština Narodne stranke Srbije", Blic, 22 August 2014, accessed 14 August 2022.
14. "Nismo zvali Dinkića za lidera", Danas, 21 September 2014, accessed 14 August 2022.
15. "Bane Jovanović ima novu stranku", Južne vesti, 9 February 2015, accessed 14 August 2022.
16. "Narodni pokret Srbije: Potrebni novi ljudi", Radio Television of Serbia, 8 February 2015, accessed 8 August 2018.
17. Mirko Rudić, "Kamen oko vrata državi", Vreme, 21 May 2015, accessed 26 January 2017.
18. "Nismo zvali Dinkića za lidera", Danas, 21 September 2014, accessed 14 August 2022.
19. S. Milenković, "Smene u Trsteniku", Kruševac Press, 30 September 2015, accessed 14 August 2014.
20. С. БАБОВИЋ, "Алексић чека став Београда", Novosti, 26 May 2016, accessed 17 July 2017.
21. СПИСАК ОДБОРНИКА СО-е 2016. година 9 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Municipality of Trstenik, accessed 8 July 2022.
22. Избори за народне посланике 2016. године – Изборне листе (7 БОРИС ТАДИЋ, ЧЕДОМИР ЈОВАНОВИЋ - САВЕЗ ЗА БОЉУ СРБИЈУ – Либерално демократска партија, Лига социјалдемократа Војводине, Социјалдемократска странка), Republic Election Commission, Republic of Serbia, accessed 14 June 2022.
23. Избори за народне посланике 2016. године » Изборне листе (БОРИС ТАДИЋ, ЧЕДОМИР ЈОВАНОВИЋ - САВЕЗ ЗА БОЉУ СРБИЈУ – Либерално демократска партија, Лига социјалдемократа Војводине, Социјалдемократска странка), 27 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Republika Srbija - Republička izborna komisija, accessed 26 January 2017.
24. MIROSLAV ALEKSIC, 10 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine, National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, accessed 8 July 2022.
25. "'Blic': Jeremić u oktobru osniva Narodnu stranku, B92, 28 September 2017, accessed 20 November 2017.
26. Miroslav Aleksić, istinomer.rs, accessed 8 July 2022.
27. "Aleksić: Nema izbora u plemenskoj zajednici u kojoj poglavica odlučuje o svemu", N1, 11 June 2020, accessed 16 June 2020.
28. "Aleksić: Vrh vlasti je vrh kriminala, za sve odgovoran Vučić", N1, 29 June 2022, accessed 8 July 2022.
29. "Ko su kandidati 'Ujedinjeni za pobedu Srbije' za poslanike?", Danas, 20 February 2022, accessed 8 July 2022.
30. MIROSLAV ALEKSIC, National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, accessed 3 August 2022.
31. Fonet (20 May 2023). "Aleksić: Sledeći protest "Srbija bez nasilja" u subotu". Euronews.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 30 May 2023.
32. "Aleksić pozvao Vučića da na SB u četvrtak kaže da se Srbija protivi članstvu Kosova u UN". Kossev. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
33. "Aleksić: Ko će na SB UN reći da je Srbija protiv članstva Kosova - Politika - Dnevni list Danas" (in Serbian). 25 April 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
34. "Aleksić (Narodna stranka): Svako ko podržava francusko-nemački sporazum podržava Vučića - Politika - Dnevni list Danas" (in Serbian). 7 March 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
35. www.novimagazin.rs (23 November 2022). "Aleksić: EU ne obraća dovoljno pažnje na pitanja važna za život građana Srbije". Novi magazin (in Serbian). Retrieved 30 May 2023.