Bogoljub Karić ( sr-Cyrl, Богољуб Карић, ; born 17 January 1954) is a Serbian businessman and politician.
Early life and education
Bogoljub was born to Janićije Karić and Danica Kuzmanović. He earned a degree in
Geography
Geography (from Ancient Greek ; combining 'Earth' and 'write', literally 'Earth writing') is the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks an understanding o ...
at the
University of Pristina and his
Master's Degree in
economy
An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...
at
University of Niš.
He married Milanka Babić and has four children Nebojša, Nadežda, Jelena and Danica. He is a brother of two siblings,
Dragomir Karić and
Olivera Karić Nedeljković.
Career
During the 1970s, Karić opened his own company ''Technicar'' which managed crop-growing tools. This led to the establishment of the first private factory in Eastern Europe under the name ''Kosovo Univerzum''.
Afterwards, the Karić family grew their private company businesses into a large company known as The Astra (BK) Group. It encompasses numerous sectors including manufacturing, civil engineering and constructing, International wholesales export-import trading, telecommunications and electronic media, banking and finance, science and education and charitable activities.
In 1987 he established first private construction company in
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
, in the then
USSR.
In 2002, Karić created the Association of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Yugoslavia.
In 2006 he established another construction company named DANA HOLDINGS, a real estate, investment and development company of residential, industrial, commercial, educational and mixed-use projects as well as PPP investments in emerging markets.
Karić has written several research papers published in his country of origin and abroad. He has also authored books on private business, finance, and financial management.
In 2006, Karić fled Serbia to Russia after the Serbian Prosecutor's Office began an investigation against him for alleged fake investments through his mobile operator Mobtel. He returned to Serbia in December 2016 after the investigation was dropped.
Political and social activities
Karić ran for
President of Serbia in the June 2004 Presidential Election, polling nearly 20% of the vote.
Karić subsequently formed and registered his political party
Strength of Serbia Movement (SSM) which participated in the local elections of September 2004. At these elections, the SSM, although formed barely a month before the elections, had a surprisingly good showing, established itself firmly in the center of the democratic bloc of political forces in Serbia. Its representatives, in coalition with other democratic forces were part of many municipal councils (including that of the capital
Belgrade
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
), and it had several deputies and ministers in the Provincial Government of the Autonomous Province of
Vojvodina.
As a new law on political parties became valid, Strength of Serbia Movement re-registered itself again in 2010 under the name Strength of Serbia Movement - BK. At that moment, SSM was in coalition with Tomislav Nikolić's party, forming an opposition bloc for the next elections.
In 2017, he endorsed
Aleksandar Vučić and his ruling
Serbian Progressive Party in the Presidential elections.
International sanctions
On June 3, 2022, Bogoljub Karić was sanctioned by
the EU authorities because he is believed to have close ties with the president of Belarus,
Alexander Lukashenko; and his company, Dana Holdings, is said to be the only non-government owned entity that provides the Belarusian regime with economical benefits. He is also blacklisted by Switzerland.
References
External links
Karić FoundationBogoljub Karić official Facebook pageAl Jazeera Balkans
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karic, Bogoljub
1954 births
Living people
Politicians from Peja
Kosovo Serbs
Strength of Serbia Movement politicians
20th-century Serbian businesspeople
University of Pristina alumni
University of Niš alumni
Recipients of the Order of St. Sava
Candidates for President of Serbia
Businesspeople from Peja