Date and Place of Birth:
15 January 1958, Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Education:
Boris Tadić graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade, studying Social Psychology. Mr. Tadić later served as a lecturer at the University of Belgrade, and received an Honorary Doctorate from Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University in 2009.
Professional Experience:
Boris Tadić began his political career as a student at the University of Belgrade, joining Serbia´s anti-communist dissident movement of the 1980´s at the cost of repeated political imprisonment. After graduating from the University of Belgrade, Mr. Tadić taught psychology and worked as a military clinical psychologist. In 1997, he founded the Centre for the Development of Democracy and Political Skills, an NGO specializing in political and civil education.
Political Career:
After the overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic´s regime in 2000, Tadić served as the Minister of Telecommunications under the Democratic Opposition of Serbia coalition. From 2003 until 2004, Tadić served as the Minister of Defense to Serbia and Montenegro.
While serving as Minister of Defense, Mr. Tadić made dramatic reforms to the Ministry and the military, both of which displayed unique courage and leadership skills. He was responsible for creating a rapid reaction force under the control of civilians, and his reforms of the Ministry brought it to comply with NATO regulations. After the assassination of Zoran Đinđić in 2003 Mr. Tadić was chosen as the new leader of the Serbia´s Democratic Party in 2004, and later that year he won the general presidential elections.
As president of Serbia, Boris Tadić led the movement for a “new Serbia”, and revitalized Serbia´s role internationally. Mr. Tadić encouraged the development of business within Serbia, and promoted regional trade within the Balkans. Under his presidency, Serbia´s partnerships with the United States, Russia, China, and EU member states were strategically improved. In 2007, Mr. Tadić made an official apology to Croatia for any crimes committed on Serbia´s part during the war with Croatia in the early 1990´s. Boris Tadić´s presidency brought Serbia closer to membership in the European Union.
In 2008, Mr. Tadić received the Quadriga award for The Courage of Perseverance. In March of 2009, Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón of Madrid gave Mr. Tadić the Golden Keys of Madrid for his commitment to bringing Europe forward “in a positive way”.
