Famous Bosnian Leaders

Alija Izetbegović was a prominent Bosnian politician, Islamic philosopher, and author. He served as the first president and later chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina during a tumultuous period marked by the Bosnian War. Izetbegović played a key role in leading the Bosniak forces and negotiating agreements with other parties, including the Washington Agreement and the Dayton Agreement, which ended the conflict. He was also the founder and president of the Party of Democratic Action and authored influential works on Islam.

Gavrilo Princip was a Bosnian Serb student involved in the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, leading to the outbreak of World War I. He joined the secret society Young Bosnia, aimed at freeing Bosnia from Austrian rule. Princip was influenced by anti-Austrian sentiments and participated in a plot to assassinate the heir to the Habsburg Empire. After fatally shooting Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo, Princip was tried and sentenced to twenty years in prison. He died in 1918 due to tuberculosis worsened by poor prison conditions.

Momčilo Krajišnik was a Bosnian Serb political leader and convicted war criminal. He co-founded the Bosnian Serb nationalist Serb Democratic Party (SDS) with Radovan Karadžić. Krajišnik served as the speaker of the People's Assembly of Republika Srpska and as a member of the expanded Presidency of Republika Srpska. He later became a Serb member of the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2006, he was found guilty of crimes against humanity by the ICTY and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Krajišnik was granted early release in 2013 and passed away in 2020.

Ante Marković was a prominent Croatian and Yugoslav politician, businessman, and engineer known for his role as the final Prime Minister of Yugoslavia from 1989 to 1991. Throughout his professional career, he was recognized for his efforts in implementing economic reforms aimed at modernizing Yugoslavia's economy. Marković's leadership during a tumultuous period in Yugoslav history was marked by his commitment to addressing economic challenges and promoting stability. His tenure as Prime Minister left a lasting impact on the country's political and economic landscape.

Vojislav Šešelj is a Serbian politician and convicted war criminal, known for founding and leading the far-right Serbian Radical Party. He served as deputy prime minister of Serbia from 1998 to 2000. Šešelj voluntarily surrendered to the ICTY in 2003, where his trial was marked by controversy. Despite spending over 11 years in detention, he was temporarily released for cancer treatment in 2014. Šešelj's party won seats in parliament in the 2016 elections, and he was later found guilty of crimes against humanity by the ICTY Appeals Chamber in 2018.

Radovan Karadžić is a psychiatrist turned Bosnian Serb politician who co-founded the Serb Democratic Party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He served as the first president of Republika Srpska during the Bosnian War. Indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 1996, he became a fugitive until his arrest in 2008. Found guilty of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, he was sentenced to life imprisonment after an unsuccessful appeal in 2019.

Ratko Mladić was a Bosnian Serb military officer who led the Army of Republika Srpska during the Yugoslav Wars. He began his career in the Yugoslav People's Army, rising to prominence during the Bosnian War as Chief of the General Staff of the Army of Republika Srpska. Mladić was found guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide by the ICTY in 2017. He was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the siege of Sarajevo and the Srebrenica massacre.

Biljana Plavšić is a former politician, university professor, and scientist. She served as the President of Republika Srpska and was later convicted of crimes against humanity for her involvement in the Bosnian War. Plavšić was indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in 2001 for war crimes during the Bosnian War. Before her political career, she was a biology professor at the University of Sarajevo. Plavšić plea-bargained with the ICTY, resulting in an 11-year prison sentence served in Sweden. She was released in 2009 after serving two-thirds of her sentence.

Željka Cvijanović is a prominent Bosnian Serb politician affiliated with the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats. She has held several key positions in Republika Srpska, including serving as the 11th prime minister from 2013 to 2018 and subsequently becoming the 9th president from 2018 to 2022. In 2022, she made history by being elected as the first female Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina post-Bosnian War. Cvijanović's political career is marked by her leadership roles and contributions to the governance of the region.

Hasan Muratović had a diverse and accomplished professional life. He served as the last Prime Minister of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Minister without portfolio during the Bosnian War, and Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations. He was a member of the Party of Democratic Action. Muratović was a long-term professor at the University of Sarajevo and held the position of rector. He also had successful managerial roles in various business companies, worked as a consultant for domestic and international firms like Deloitte, served as an ambassador to Croatia, and was Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Bisera Turković is a Bosnian diplomat and politician known for her significant contributions in various roles. She holds a degree in law and has a PhD in international relations. Throughout her career, Turković has served as ambassador to countries like Croatia and Hungary, as well as in international organizations. She has held positions such as Minister for European Integration and Ambassador to the United States. Turković made history as the first female foreign minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, serving in that capacity from 2019 to 2023.

Salko Bukvarević was a prominent Bosnian politician and soldier known for his contributions during the Bosnian War. He played a key role in founding the Party of Democratic Action and the Patriotic League paramilitary unit. Throughout his career, he held various positions within the Bosnian army and government. Bukvarević's significant achievement came when he was appointed as the Federal Minister for Veterans and Disabled Veterans, a position he served in until his unfortunate passing due to COVID-19 complications.

Dragan Đokanović is a prominent Bosnian Serb politician, serving as a member, founder, and president of the Democratic Party of Federalists. Apart from his political role, he is also a respected physician and accomplished sportsman. Notably, he has been recognized as one of the most popular figures in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to research conducted by The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His multifaceted professional life reflects a commitment to public service, leadership, and excellence in various fields.