Aleksandar Tijanic
Encyclopedia
Aleksandar Tijanić Serbian journalist and current national TV director, was born in Đakovica, FPR Yugoslavia on 13 December 1950. Throughout his colourful career he's been a star columnist for leading newspapers and magazines in SFR Yugoslavia and Serbia
, chief executive of several prominent TV stations, political advisor to some of the most notable figures in recent Serbian politics, and finally even Minister of Information for 4 months in the government headed by PM Mirko Marjanović
during the rule of Slobodan Milošević
.
Tijanić is very much a polarizing figure in Serbian society and gathered a great deal of admirers as well as enemies throughout the years.
's Faculty of Political Sciences. He never finished his studies.
publications such as Auto Svet, he got a sought after job at NIN
magazine where he first wrote for the supplement on vehicles and eventually advanced to a position on the editorial board. His job in NIN was a springboard for other top editorial positions. In mid-1980s he was editor-in-chief of Intervju, another weekly magazine from Politika AD
family. In parallel, he wrote for periodical publications in Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia.
Following the 8th Session of the Serbian Communist League in September 1987, which was essentially the official date of Slobodan Milošević
's ascent to power in Serbia, Tijanić lost all of his writing engagements in Belgrade publications and was thus reduced to mostly writing in Croatian papers.
He became particularly well known as a political columnist for Split
-based weekly Nedjeljna Dalmacija
, which soon earned him the moniker of Giant of Croatian Journalism. In his column titled En Passant he often expressed views critical of Yugoslav government and Communism - something that his Croatian colleagues, silenced after collapse of Croatian Spring
, seldom dared to do. His column effectively ended in 1990, following the shift in that magazine's editorial policy as his column was deemed too critical of the new Croatian vice-president Antun Vrdoljak
, although he did write one last entry in late March 1991. Simultaneously, Tijanić wrote for Croatian newsmagazines Danas and Start.
In the meantime, during first part of 1991, he was part of the hosting trio on Umijeće življenja talk-show along with Mirjana Bobić-Mojsilović and Dragan Babić. Conceptualized as a free format taped in front of live theater audience at Sarajevo
's Teatar Obala, the programme quickly gained country-wide recognition and notability. Tijanić conducted memorable interviews with, among others, Milovan Đilas, notable communist dissident who at the time returned to Yugoslavia after a 20-year exile, and Stjepan Mesić
, at the time high ranking official of Franjo Tuđman's Croatian Democratic Union
and soon to become last president of SFR Yugoslavia's presidency. The show abruptly ended in May 1991 when a crowd of Muslim extremists from the SDA
political party attempted to lynch Tijanić and Bobić-Mojsilović on the day when the interview with Serbian right-wing politician Vojislav Šešelj
was supposed to be taped.
Coming back to Belgrade, Tijanić began an editing stint at Sportski žurnal
sports daily in June 1991.
In 1993, Tijanić became the head of programming at the recently launched TV Politika.
by non-governmental organization Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM). The book's cover features a political cartoon-type drawing by Predrag Koraksić Corax
, showing Tijanic as a chameleon
wearing various political party logos and flags of various countries. The book's author is never mentioned explicitly although it thanks Vladimir Beba Popović, former Serbian government official, for "providing the material so that this publication remains a factual portrayal of an individual's career instead of revenge".
Tijanić sued the publishers of Slučaj službenika Tijanića book for the amount of RSD8.5 million (~€100,000). Following a prolonged, incident-filled process and several appeals, in September 2009, Supreme Court of Serbia ruled in Tijanić's favour ordering YUCOM to pay him RSD200,000 (~€2,200) as well as to cease distribution of the book and to issue a public proclamation about the verdict on the pages of Politika
daily.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, chief executive of several prominent TV stations, political advisor to some of the most notable figures in recent Serbian politics, and finally even Minister of Information for 4 months in the government headed by PM Mirko Marjanović
Mirko Marjanovic
Mirko Marjanović was a former Prime Minister of Serbia and a high-ranking official in Slobodan Milošević's Socialist Party of Serbia .-Biography:Marjanović was born into a large working-class family with 7 children...
during the rule of Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
.
Tijanić is very much a polarizing figure in Serbian society and gathered a great deal of admirers as well as enemies throughout the years.
Early life
After finishing high school in his home town, Tijanić moved to Belgrade to study journalism at University of BelgradeUniversity of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
's Faculty of Political Sciences. He never finished his studies.
Journalism career
After working his way up during late 1970s and early 1980s in PolitikaPolitika AD
Politika a.d. is a Serbian media corporation founded in present form in 2005, and it has continually existed in various legal forms since 1904....
publications such as Auto Svet, he got a sought after job at NIN
NIN (magazine)
NIN is a weekly newsmagazine published in Belgrade, Serbia. Its name is an acronym for Nedeljne informativne novine which roughly translates into Weekly Informational Newspaper....
magazine where he first wrote for the supplement on vehicles and eventually advanced to a position on the editorial board. His job in NIN was a springboard for other top editorial positions. In mid-1980s he was editor-in-chief of Intervju, another weekly magazine from Politika AD
Politika AD
Politika a.d. is a Serbian media corporation founded in present form in 2005, and it has continually existed in various legal forms since 1904....
family. In parallel, he wrote for periodical publications in Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia.
Following the 8th Session of the Serbian Communist League in September 1987, which was essentially the official date of Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
's ascent to power in Serbia, Tijanić lost all of his writing engagements in Belgrade publications and was thus reduced to mostly writing in Croatian papers.
He became particularly well known as a political columnist for Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
-based weekly Nedjeljna Dalmacija
Nedjeljna Dalmacija
Nedjeljna Dalmacija is now defunct Yugoslavian regional weekly newspaper based in Croatia, published in the cities of Split and Zagreb.Nedjeljna Dalmacija started as special weekly edition of Split daily newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija in 1970s...
, which soon earned him the moniker of Giant of Croatian Journalism. In his column titled En Passant he often expressed views critical of Yugoslav government and Communism - something that his Croatian colleagues, silenced after collapse of Croatian Spring
Croatian Spring
The Croatian Spring was a political movement from the early 1970s that called for greater rights for Croatia which was then part of Yugoslavia as well as democratic and economic reforms.-History:...
, seldom dared to do. His column effectively ended in 1990, following the shift in that magazine's editorial policy as his column was deemed too critical of the new Croatian vice-president Antun Vrdoljak
Antun Vrdoljak
Antun Vrdoljak is a Croatian screenwriter, film director and former actor and political appointee.-Life:Antun Vrdoljak was born in Imotski, Kingdom of Yugoslavia . He studied acting at the Academy of Drama Arts at the University of Zagreb. His acting debut was in 1957 film Nije bilo uzalud...
, although he did write one last entry in late March 1991. Simultaneously, Tijanić wrote for Croatian newsmagazines Danas and Start.
In the meantime, during first part of 1991, he was part of the hosting trio on Umijeće življenja talk-show along with Mirjana Bobić-Mojsilović and Dragan Babić. Conceptualized as a free format taped in front of live theater audience at Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
's Teatar Obala, the programme quickly gained country-wide recognition and notability. Tijanić conducted memorable interviews with, among others, Milovan Đilas, notable communist dissident who at the time returned to Yugoslavia after a 20-year exile, and Stjepan Mesić
Stjepan Mesić
Stjepan "Stipe" Mesić is a Croatian politician and former President of Croatia. Before his ten-year presidential term between 2000 and 2010 he held the posts of Speaker of the Croatian Parliament , Prime Minister of Croatia , the last President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia , Secretary General...
, at the time high ranking official of Franjo Tuđman's Croatian Democratic Union
Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
and soon to become last president of SFR Yugoslavia's presidency. The show abruptly ended in May 1991 when a crowd of Muslim extremists from the SDA
Party of Democratic Action
The Party of Democratic Action is a Bosniak national political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:The Party of Democratic Action was founded in May 1990 by Alija Izetbegović, representing the Bosnian Muslim population...
political party attempted to lynch Tijanić and Bobić-Mojsilović on the day when the interview with Serbian right-wing politician Vojislav Šešelj
Vojislav Šešelj
Vojislav Šešelj, JD is a Serbian politician, writer and lawyer. He is the founder and president of the Serbian Radical Party and was vice-president of Serbia between 1998 and 2000...
was supposed to be taped.
Coming back to Belgrade, Tijanić began an editing stint at Sportski žurnal
Sportski žurnal
Sportski žurnal is a Belgrade-based sports daily. Each day, about half of its pages are devoted to football, whereas the rest deal with, in order of importance, basketball, volleyball, waterpolo, handball, tennis, auto racing, skiing, boxing, cycling etc...
sports daily in June 1991.
In 1993, Tijanić became the head of programming at the recently launched TV Politika.
Controversy
In March 2005, an entire 200 plus page pamphlet-type book named Slučaj službenika Tijanića solely devoted to denouncing Tijanić as a person and a professional was published in BelgradeBelgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
by non-governmental organization Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM). The book's cover features a political cartoon-type drawing by Predrag Koraksić Corax
Predrag Koraksic Corax
Pregrag Koraksić Corax is a Serbian political caricaturist.- Biography :Koraksić was born in Čačak in 1933. His father, one of the Partisan Movement leaders, was killed during the World War II by Chetniks. Corax spent four years as a refugee.After the war Corax graduated from grammar school in...
, showing Tijanic as a chameleon
Chameleon
Chameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
wearing various political party logos and flags of various countries. The book's author is never mentioned explicitly although it thanks Vladimir Beba Popović, former Serbian government official, for "providing the material so that this publication remains a factual portrayal of an individual's career instead of revenge".
Tijanić sued the publishers of Slučaj službenika Tijanića book for the amount of RSD8.5 million (~€100,000). Following a prolonged, incident-filled process and several appeals, in September 2009, Supreme Court of Serbia ruled in Tijanić's favour ordering YUCOM to pay him RSD200,000 (~€2,200) as well as to cease distribution of the book and to issue a public proclamation about the verdict on the pages of Politika
Politika
Politika is a Serbian newspaper. It is considered the newspaper of record and is the oldest daily in the Balkans, having been founded on January 25, 1904 by Vladislav Ribnikar. It is currently being published by Politika Newspapers and Magazines , a joint venture between Politika AD and...
daily.