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Zoran LilichYugoslav politician
Date of Birth: 27.08.1953
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Biography
Zoran Lilić was a prominent Yugoslav politician who served as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1993 to 1997.
Early Life and Career
Born in 1953 to a Serbian father and Romanian mother, Lilić completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown. He subsequently graduated from the Faculty of Technology at the University of Belgrade and worked at the "Rekord" rubber factory in Rakovica. After 12 years in various roles, he became the factory's general director.
Political Career
Lilić joined the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and became a member of the National Assembly of Serbia. He later ascended to the position of Speaker of the National Assembly. In 1993, he was appointed President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Dobrica Ćosić.
During his tenure, Lilić was largely seen as a figurehead for Serbian President Slobodan Milošević. In 1994, he appealed to "the extreme factions in the RS and RSK to stop holding the entire Serbian people hostage."
Post-Presidency
In 1997, Milošević was removed as President of Serbia and was elected President of the federation. Lilić became the SPS candidate to succeed Milošević as President of Serbia. After an unsuccessful run-off against Vojislav Šešelj, he became Vice President of the federal government in Momir Bulatović's cabinet. He held this position until April 1999, when he was appointed advisor to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević for economic relations with Croatia.
Later Years
Lilić left the SPS in 2000 and founded the Serbian Social Democratic Party, which he claimed followed the ideas of Svetozar Marković. The party failed to gain electoral success. Lilić was also involved in attempts to resolve the Libya HIV trial, in which four Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor were sentenced to death for allegedly infecting Libyan infants with HIV. He reportedly presented himself as an envoy or emissary of Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov.
