Momčilo Krajišnik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Momčilo Krajišnik
Момчило Крајишник |
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Krajišnik in 1996
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| 1st Serb Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| In office 5 October 1996 – 13 October 1998 |
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| Prime Minister | Hasan Muratović |
| Preceded by | Tatjana Ljujić-Mijatović (as member of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
| Succeeded by | Živko Radišić |
| 1st Speaker of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska | |
| In office 24 October 1991 – 19 October 1996 |
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| President | Radovan Karadžić Biljana Plavšić |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Dragan Kalinić |
| 13th Speaker of the People's Assembly of SR Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| In office 20 December 1990 – 25 January 1992 |
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| President | Alija Izetbegović |
| Prime Minister | Jure Pelivan |
| Preceded by | Zlatan Karavdić |
| Succeeded by | Mariofil Ljubić |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 January 1945 Sarajevo, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia |
| Died | 15 September 2020 (aged 75) Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Citizenship | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia |
| Political party | Serb Democratic Party |
| Alma mater | University of Sarajevo |
Momčilo Krajišnik (born January 20, 1945 – died September 15, 2020) was an important political leader from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was a Bosnian Serb, meaning he was a Serb person living in Bosnia. He helped start a political group called the Serb Democratic Party (SDS).
From 1990 to 1992, he was the speaker of the People's Assembly of Republika Srpska. After the Bosnian War, he was chosen to be the Serb member of the three-person Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He held this position from 1996 to 1998.
Later, in 2006, a special court found him responsible for certain actions during the Bosnian War. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was released early in 2013 and returned to Republika Srpska. Momčilo Krajišnik passed away on September 15, 2020, due to complications from COVID-19.
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Early Life and Political Start
Momčilo Krajišnik was born on January 20, 1945. He was born in Zabrđe, a village close to Sarajevo. Sarajevo is a major city in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was an ethnic Serb.
Krajišnik studied at the University of Sarajevo. This education helped him prepare for his future in politics.
Role in Bosnian Politics
In the early 1990s, there were many changes happening in the former Yugoslavia. On October 15, 1991, the parliament of SR Bosnia and Herzegovina voted for Bosnia and Herzegovina to become an independent country. Many Bosnian Serb leaders did not agree with this decision.
Just ten days later, the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) formed its own assembly for Bosnian Serbs. Momčilo Krajišnik became its president. This assembly began to create its own government structures.
Krajišnik was also involved in the important talks that led to the Dayton Agreement. This agreement helped end the Bosnian War. During these talks, he was known for being very firm in his views. People even called him "Mr. No" because of his strong stance.
An American diplomat, Richard Holbrooke, wrote about Krajišnik. He mentioned that Krajišnik had a very noticeable eyebrow that looked like a dark cloud. Holbrooke also noted that Krajišnik's ideas were very similar to those of his close friend, Radovan Karadžić.
Legal Proceedings and Release
Momčilo Krajišnik was later investigated by a special international court. This court was called the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). He was accused of being involved in certain actions during the Bosnian War (1992–1995). These actions were carried out by Bosnian Serb forces.
On April 3, 2000, Krajišnik was arrested in Pale. French special forces, who were part of the international peacekeeping mission called SFOR, carried out the arrest.
On September 27, 2006, the ICTY found Krajišnik responsible for some serious actions during the war. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison. However, the court did not find evidence that he intended to destroy entire groups of people. On March 17, 2009, some of the charges were changed, and his sentence was reduced to 20 years.
In 2009, Krajišnik was moved to a prison in the United Kingdom. He asked to be released early in 2010, but this was not approved. The court usually considers early release only after two-thirds of the sentence has been served.
Finally, on September 1, 2013, he was granted early release by the ICTY President. He had served two-thirds of his 20-year sentence. After his release, he returned to Republika Srpska. When he arrived in Banja Luka, a government helicopter took him to his hometown of Pale. Thousands of people welcomed him home, celebrating his return.
Later Life and Passing
On August 29, 2020, Momčilo Krajišnik was taken to the hospital in Banja Luka. He had tested positive for COVID-19. The next day, his health got worse, and he needed a machine to help him breathe.
Sadly, Momčilo Krajišnik passed away on September 15, 2020. He died in Banja Luka due to health problems caused by COVID-19.
See also
In Spanish: Momčilo Krajišnik para niños
