Jakov Milatović facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jakov Milatović
|
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Јаков Милатовић
|
|||||||||
.jpg)
Milatović in 2024
|
|||||||||
| 3rd President of Montenegro | |||||||||
| Assumed office 20 May 2023 |
|||||||||
| Prime Minister | |||||||||
| Preceded by | Milo Đukanović | ||||||||
| Minister of Economic Development | |||||||||
| In office 4 December 2020 – 28 April 2022 |
|||||||||
| Prime Minister | Zdravko Krivokapić | ||||||||
| Preceded by | Dragica Sekulić | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Goran Đurović | ||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||
| Born | 7 December 1986 Titograd, SR Montenegro, SFR Yugoslavia |
||||||||
| Political party | Independent (before 2022, since 2024) | ||||||||
| Other political affiliations |
Europe Now! (2022–2024) | ||||||||
| Spouse | Milena Milatović | ||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||
| Education |
|
||||||||
| Occupation | Politician • Economist | ||||||||
| Signature |  |
||||||||
Jakov Milatović (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Јаков Милатовић; born 7 December 1986) is a Montenegrin politician and economist. He is currently the president of Montenegro, a role he has held since May 2023.
Before becoming president, he was the Minister of Economic Development from 2020 to 2022. He also worked as an economist for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Milatović helped start the political party called Europe Now!. This party is now the largest in the Montenegrin parliament.
Milatović became president after winning a big election in 2023. At 36 years old, he is the youngest person to be president of independent Montenegro. He is also one of the youngest leaders in the world. He is the third president of Montenegro since it became independent in 2006. His main goals are to make life better for people, fight against corruption, and help Montenegro join the European Union by 2028.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jakov Milatović was born on 7 December 1986 in Titograd, which is now called Podgorica, in SFR Yugoslavia. He went to elementary and high school there. In his high school yearbook in 2005, he wrote that he wanted to be the president of Montenegro within ten years.
His family has a history of fighting for their country. His grandfather and great-grandfather fought in World War II. His great-grandfather also fought in World War I in the Battle of Mojkovac in 1916.
Milatović studied economics at the University of Montenegro. He also spent time studying in the United States, Austria, and Italy. He earned a master's degree in economics from St John's College, Oxford in the United Kingdom. He received scholarships, which are like financial aid, from the British and German governments to help him study. Besides his native Serbian, he speaks English very well, and also knows Italian and Spanish.
Career in Economics
Before entering politics, Milatović worked in the banking sector. He worked at NLB Group in Podgorica and Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt.
In 2014, he joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). This bank helps countries in Europe develop their economies. He worked in a team that analyzed economic and political situations. In 2019, he became a main economist for EU countries like Romania and Bulgaria. He has written many articles and co-authored two books about economics.
Political Journey
Minister of Economic Development (2020–2022)
Milatović served as the Minister of Economic Development from December 2020 to April 2022. During this time, he and the finance minister, Milojko Spajić, introduced an economic plan called "Europe Now."
This plan aimed to:
- Increase the minimum wage.
- Reduce taxes.
- Attract money from other countries for investments.
- Help Montenegro join the European Union faster.
The "Europe Now" program was very popular with the public. It made Milatović and Spajić well-known and liked.
Europe Now Party and Local Elections
In 2022, Milatović and Spajić started a new political party called Europe Now. Spajić became the president, and Milatović became the deputy president.
The party took part in the local elections in 2022. Milatović was the main candidate for mayor in Podgorica. His party won a good number of votes, and he was expected to become the mayor.
Presidential Campaign in 2023
In March 2023, Milatović became the candidate for president for the Europe Now party. This happened after the first candidate, Milojko Spajić, could not run because he had dual citizenship (from both Serbia and Montenegro).
Milatović won the presidential election with a large victory. He beat the current president, Milo Đukanović, in the second round of voting on 2 April 2023. Milatović received almost 59% of the votes. He said that his first trip as president would be to Brussels, the capital of the European Union.
Presidency (2023–Present)
Jakov Milatović officially became president on 20 May 2023. The ceremony took place in the Parliament of Montenegro in Podgorica. Many leaders from other countries in the Balkans attended his inauguration. Even Pope Francis sent his congratulations.
In June 2023, Milatović said he hopes Montenegro will join the European Union by 2027 or 2028. In August 2023, he met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Milatović stated that Montenegro strongly disapproves of Russia's actions against Ukraine.
In February 2024, Milatović announced that he would be leaving the Europe Now party. This decision came after some disagreements with Milojko Spajić.
Political Views
Milatović's political views are often described as being in the middle, or "centrist." Some people also call him a "populist," meaning he tries to appeal directly to the common person.
In 2006, Milatović voted for Montenegro to become an independent country. Before he became a politician, he voted for other parties like the Socialist People's Party and Democratic Montenegro.
Foreign Policy
Milatović strongly supports Montenegro joining the European Union. He also wants Montenegro to have closer relationships with Serbia.
He believes Montenegro should support sanctions against Russia because of its actions in Ukraine. He sees Russia's invasion as an act of aggression. Milatović has said that Montenegro should not take back its recognition of Kosovo as an independent country. He agrees with the International Court of Justice's verdict on the Srebrenica massacre, which recognized it as a genocide. He also supports the "Open Balkan" initiative, which aims to improve cooperation between countries in the Balkans.
Personal Life
Jakov Milatović is married to Milena Milatović. They have three children together. He is a Serbian Orthodox Christian and was baptized at the Ostrog Monastery. He considers his religious beliefs to be a private matter. He identifies himself as a Montenegrin by ethnicity and speaks Serbian.
See also
