{{Short description|Defunct liberal–nationalist political party in Serbia (1991–2010)}} {{About|the party founded by [[Nikola Milošević (politician)|Nikola Milošević]] and [[Kosta Čavoški]] in 1991 |the Liberal Party founded in 1989|Liberal Democratic Party (Serbia, 1989) |the party led by [[Dušan Mihajlović (politician)|Dušan Mihajlović]], known as New Democracy until 2003|Liberals of Serbia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox political party | name = Serbian Liberal Party | native_name = Српска либерална странка | logo = Logo of the Serbian Liberal Party.png | logo_size = 250px | colorcode = {{Party color|Serbian Liberal Party}} | abbreviation = SLS | founders = [[Nikola Milošević (politician)|Nikola Milošević]] and [[Kosta Čavoški]] | deputy_leader = | president = [[Milovan Jeremić]] | foundation = {{start date|df=yes|1991|01|12}} | split = [[Democratic Party (Serbia)|Democratic Party]] | successor = Serbian Liberal Council | dissolved = {{end date|df=yes|2010|01|24}} | ideology = {{ubl|class=nowrap| |[[National conservatism]] |[[National liberalism]] |[[Monarchism]] |[[Anti-communism]]}} | position = [[Right-wing politics|Right-wing]] | headquarters = Studentski trg 11, [[Belgrade]] | newspaper = ''Liberal'' | international = | website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20090413032342/http://www.srpskaliberalnastranka.org.rs/ www.srpskaliberalnastranka.org.rs] (archived) | country = Serbia }}
The '''Serbian Liberal Party''' ({{lang-sr-cyr|Српска либерална странка|Srpska liberalna stranka}}; abbr. СЛС or '''SLS''') was a liberal–nationalist and monarchist political party in Serbia active from 1991 to 2010. Founded on 12 January 1991 by [[Nikola Milošević (politician)|Nikola Milošević]] and [[Kosta Čavoški]] after a split from the [[Democratic Party (Serbia)|Democratic Party]] (DS) over strategy toward the [[Slobodan Milošević]] government, anti-communism and the national question, it adopted monarchism in October 1991. It advocated classical liberalism and was generally described as right-wing.
The SLS joined the United Serbian Democratic Opposition (USDO) in 1991 and the [[Democratic Movement of Serbia]] (DEPOS) in 1992, boycotted the [[1993 Serbian parliamentary election|1993]] and [[1997 Serbian general election|1997]] elections, and won one seat on a [[Democratic Party of Serbia]]–led list in [[2003 Serbian parliamentary election|2003]]. Prominent figures associated with the SLS included academics and intellectuals such as Milošević, Čavoški, film director [[Aleksandar Petrović (film director)|Aleksandar Petrović]] and mathematician [[Milan Božić (politician)|Milan Božić]]. The party also drew support from [[Vasilije Krestić]], [[Smilja Avramov]] and [[Milo Lompar]].
Outside electoral politics, the SLS campaigned for the rehabilitation of [[Slobodan Jovanović]] and [[Draža Mihailović]], and in 2008 initiated an unsuccessful attempt to rehabilitate [[Milan Nedić]]. After Nikola Milošević’s death in 2007, leadership passed to Milovan Jeremić. The party dissolved on 24 January 2010, with the Serbian Liberal Council recognized as its legal successor.
==Background== The [[Democratic Party (Serbia)|Democratic Party]] (DS) Initiative Committee announced their intention to constitute themselves as a new political party in late 1989. The party sought to revive the inter-war [[Democratic Party (Yugoslavia)|party of the same name]] and to present itself as having a 'civic' and 'centrist' identity. However, the DS was characterised by a number of heterogeneous groups and strands of opinion.{{sfn|Thomas|2000|pp=59-60}}
An element within the party was opposed in certain respects to the orientation that prominent figures and former ''[[Praxis School|Praxis]]'' group members [[Dragoljub Mićunović]] and [[Zoran Đinđić]] advocated. This group included [[Kosta Čavoški]], [[Nikola Milošević (politician)|Nikola Milošević]] and [[Vojislav Koštunica]]. Their analysis stressed a need for the DS to play a stronger [[Anti-communism|anti-communist]] role.{{sfn|Thomas|2000|pp=59-60}}
In the run-up to the [[1990 Serbian general election|1990 general election]], the Associated Opposition of Serbia addressed an open letter to Slobodan Milošević calling for a ninety-day election campaign, two hours of television air time allocated to the opposition, for all parties to have representation in electoral bodies and renewed their appeal for round-table talks. The open letter was presented to a rally of around 40,000 by Čavoški on 12 September. The government responded by granting some concessions to the opposition, including provision for opposition access to the television during the campaign and a reduction in the number of signatures needed for a candidate's nomination. While unhappy, Mićunović and Đinđić championed a resolution passed by the DS Main Committee on 8 October that the DS would participate in the election. Đinđić argued that the opposition could not ignore the opportunity to 'record the illegal actions of the ruling Socialists and inform the public of them'. On 9 October a number of leading figures expressed their dissatisfaction with this resolution and advocated an election boycott, including Čavoški, Milošević, [[Aleksandar Petrović (film director)|Aleksandar Petrović]], [[Milan Božić (politician)|Milan Božić]] and [[Vladeta Janković]].{{sfn|Thomas|2000|pp=71-73}}
==History== The failure of the Serbian opposition to achieve a breakthrough at the [[1990 Serbian general election|1990 general election]] led to a period of introspection and realignment among the opposition parties. The faction of the [[Democratic Party (Serbia)|Democratic Party]] (DS) that had favoured an election boycott blamed the centrist party leader [[Dragoljub Mićunović]] for the catastrophic defeat which they had suffered. In their view, the policy of participation, favoured by Mićunović and [[Zoran Đinđić]], had conferred political legitimacy on the [[Slobodan Milošević|Milošević]] regime whilst yielding little electoral reward in return. There was a strong correlation between the individuals who supported this position and those who had opposed Mićunović on the national issue during the DS congress of the previous September.{{sfn|Thomas|2000|p=80}}
On 12 January 1991, this group, including the academicians [[Nikola Milošević (politician)|Nikola Milošević]] and [[Kosta Čavoški]], Mićunović's former opponent in the intra-party election, as well as Vladan Vasiljević, director [[Aleksandar Petrović (film director)|Aleksandar Petrović]] and mathematician Milan Božić, left the [[Democratic Party (Serbia)|Democratic Party]] to form the Serbian Liberal Party (SLS).{{sfn|Thomas|2000|p=80}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Rascepi i ujedinjenja u Demokratskoj stranci |url=https://www.vreme.com/cms/view.php?id=1062449 |work=Vreme |access-date=15 October 2018 |language=Serbian |date=12 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=13–14 April 1991 |title=Osnovana Srpska liberalna stranka |trans-title=The Serbian Liberal Party was founded |url=https://istorijskenovine.unilib.rs/view/index.html#issue:UB_00064_19910413 |access-date=3 August 2023 |work=[[Borba (newspaper)|Borba]] |pages=7 |language=sr}}</ref> The party was also supported by other prominent academicians such as [[Vasilije Krestić]], [[Smilja Avramov]], [[Milo Lompar]] and [[Žarko Trebješanin]].<ref name="dinic">{{Citation|first=Milan|last=Dinić|title=Alarm srpske javnosti|work=srpskadijaspora.info|language=Serbian|url=http://www.srpskadijaspora.info/alarm-srpske-javnosti/|date=8 March 2010|access-date=21 December 2016}}</ref>
Having removed themselves from the main body of the DS, and no longer having to accommodate the 'rationalist' beliefs of the ''[[Praxis School|Praxis]]'' group, the SLS took on an increasingly traditional ideological hue. On 16 October 1991, the SLS formally changed its policy from one of republicanism to [[monarchism]]. On 21 October, it played a key role in founding the Movement for the Rebirth of the Constitutional Monarchy. Čavoški stated that the introduction of a constitutional monarchy in Serbia would mark a symbolic yet radical break with the past. While the formation of the SLS was marked by the departure from the DS of some of its founding members and key figures from the 'anti-communist/national' wing of the party, this current continued to be represented by influential individuals such as [[Vojislav Koštunica]] and [[Borislav Pekić]] and the SLS was not in the long term able to pose a serious challenge to their former party. Zoran Đinđić took over the role of head of the DS Executive Committee which had been vacated by Čavoški.{{sfn|Thomas|2000|p=80}}
The SLS joined the [[Serbian Renewal Movement]] (SPO) and [[Liberals of Serbia|New Democracy]] in the short-lived United Serbian Democratic Opposition (USDO) alliance on 22 May 1991. The alliance held a rally on [[Republic Square (Belgrade)|Republic Square]] on 9 June 1991. Unlike the [[1991 protests in Belgrade|9 March demonstration]], it was not banned by the authorities and went ahead without violent incident. The rally was condemned by [[Vojislav Šešelj]] as an 'act of treason' after which the USDO hit back, labelling his supporters 'Red Četniks' and himself the 'Red Vojvoda' for his perceived close relationship to the socialist Milošević regime. The alliance did not include the Democratic Party which was opposed to it both on organisational and ideological grounds, declaring that the nationalist orientation of the USDO was contrary to its civic ideology. The USDO contested for the seat in [[Rakovica, Belgrade|Rakovica]] in late June after the death of SPS member and writer [[Miodrag Bulatović]]. Their candidate [[Jovan Marjanović]] went up against Borislav Pekić from the DS and Vojislav Šešelj from the SRS, as well as a minor member of the SPS, Radoš Karaklajić. Šešelj was elected and the USDO fragmented and ceased to operate during the summer of 1991.{{sfn|Thomas|2000|pp=89-90}}
On 23 May 1992, the SLS joined the [[Democratic Movement of Serbia]] (DEPOS) coalition with the SPO, New Democracy and the [[Peasants Party of Serbia|Serbian Peasants Party]]. The leadership of the Democratic Party refused to join, stating that parties that made up the DEPOS were 'fixated on popular fronts' and citing their disagreement with the strong monarchist and neo-traditionalist orientation of the coalition. Democratic Party founder and former ''Praxis'' intellectual [[Ljubomir Tadić]] spoke scornfully of the SPO, as well as "its satellite, the Liberal Party". The right wing of the DS under Vojislav Koštunica would split in late July 1992 to form the [[Democratic Party of Serbia]] (DSS), after which the DSS joined DEPOS.{{sfn|Thomas|2000|pp=113-115}}
The SLS withdrew from the DEPOS together with the DSS in November 1993, in the run-up to the [[1993 Serbian parliamentary election|1993 election]]. It announced that it would boycott the elections, which it regarded as an electoral device being used by Slobodan Milošević to consolidate his personal power. However, high-ranking member of the SLS Milan Božić chose to stay with the DEPOS, and would later join the SPO acting as a key advisor to [[Vuk Drašković]].{{sfn|Thomas|2000|p=183}}
Under the new leadership of Zoran Đinđić, the DS started to pursue a 'national democratic' course from late 1994 into 1995. Dragoljub Mićunović was expelled on 2 December 1995, and on 3 December it was announced that a new Democratic Alliance (DA) was being formed, a coalition which would unite the DS, DSS, SLS and the [[Assembly National Party]] (SNS) of former SPO member [[Slobodan Rakitić]].{{sfn|Thomas|2000|pp=255-256}} The coalition broke down in March 1996 when the DS joined the Zajedno coalition with the SPO and [[Civic Alliance of Serbia]] (GSS), a move Kosta Čavoški described as "unnatural" and "a betrayal of Serbian national interest".{{sfn|Thomas|2000|p=267}}
The SLS boycotted the [[1997 Serbian general election|1997 election]], together with the DS, DSS, GSS and SNS.{{sfn|Thomas|2000|p=344}}
In the [[2003 Serbian parliamentary election|2003 parliamentary election]] the party obtained one seat in the [[National Assembly of Serbia|National Assembly]], being part of a list headed by the DSS.
Following Nikola Milošević's death in 2007, the party was led by [[Milovan Jeremić]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bilbija |first1=Bojan |title=Kome će pripasti partijski stanovi SLS-a |url=http://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/118883/Politika/Kome-ce-pripasti-partijski-stanovi-SLS-a |work=Politika |access-date=16 October 2018 |language=Serbian |date=9 January 2010}}</ref> The Serbian Liberal Party officially ceased to exist on 24 January 2010. Its legal successor is the '''Serbian Liberal Council''' ({{Langx|sr|Српски либерални савет}} or ''Srpski liberalni savet'') citizen's group.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baković |first1=Biljana |title=Politička scena bez Liberala Srbije, SDP-a, SLS-a |url=http://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/121122/Politicka-scena-bez-Liberala-Srbije-SDP-a-SLS-a |work=Politika |access-date=16 October 2018 |language=Serbian |date=26 January 2010}}</ref>
In the [[2016 Serbian parliamentary election|2016 election]], Aleksandar Nedić, general secretary of the Serbian Liberal Council and grandnephew of [[Milan Nedić]], was part of the DSS-[[Dveri]] [[party list]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Nedićev unuk na listi DSS-Dveri |url=https://www.blic.rs/vesti/politika/nedicev-unuk-na-listi-dss-dveri/klf8h8s |access-date=18 August 2020 |work=Blic |date=9 March 2016 |language=Serbian}}</ref>
==Activities== The SLS has played a prominent role in several requests for [[Rehabilitation in Serbia|rehabilitation]].
On 3 May 2006 the SLS, along with several other parties including the youth wing of the [[Democratic Party of Serbia]], submitted a request for the rehabilitation of [[Slobodan Jovanović]], Prime Minister of the [[Yugoslav government-in-exile]] and president of the conservative [[Serbian Cultural Club]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bijelić |first1=Novica |title=Nije bio izdajnik |url=http://www.novosti.rs/vesti/naslovna/drustvo/aktuelno.290.html:183007-Nije-bio-izdajnik |work=Večernje Novosti |access-date=15 October 2018 |language=Serbian |date=4 May 2006}}</ref> Jovanović was rehabilitated on 26 October 2007, and his remains were transferred to Serbia and reburied on 10 December 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rehabilitovan Slobodan Jovanović |url=https://www.blic.rs/vesti/drustvo/rehabilitovan-slobodan-jovanovic/9epjbdg |work=Blic |access-date=15 October 2018 |language=Serbian |date=26 October 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Slović |first1=Ana |title=Popović: Profesor Slobodan Jovanović vraćen jer je društvu potrebna katarza |url=https://www.blic.rs/vesti/drustvo/popovic-profesor-slobodan-jovanovic-vracen-jer-je-drustvu-potrebna-katarza/gn06zk0 |work=Blic |access-date=15 October 2018 |language=Serbian |date=11 December 2011}}</ref>
On 26 February 2009, the Serbian Liberal Party, along with several other political prisoners' associations, initiated the process of rehabilitating [[Chetniks|Chetnik]] leader [[Draža Mihailović]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Borović |first1=Radovan |title=Podnesen zahtev za rehabilitaciju Draže Mihailovića |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/mihailovic/1500575.html |access-date=18 August 2020 |work=RFE/RL |date=27 February 2009 |language=Serbian}}</ref> Mihailović was rehabilitated on 14 May 2015.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rehabilitovan Draža Mihailović |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/ci/story/124/%D0%94%D1%80%D1%83%D1%88%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE/1918870/%D0%A0%D0%B5%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD+%D0%94%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B0+%D0%9C%D0%B8%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%9B.html |work=RTS |date=14 May 2015 |language=Serbian}}</ref>
In 2008, the Serbian Liberal Party initiated the process of rehabilitating Prime Minister of the [[puppet government]] in [[Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia|Nazi occupied Serbia]], [[Milan Nedić]], in cooperation with Nedić's grandnephew Aleksandar Nedić. Their request was first declined in March 2014. Aleksandar Nedić later became the general secretary of the Serbian Liberal Council, legal successor to the SLS.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bilbija |first1=Bojan |title=Odbijena rehabilitacija Milana Nedića |url=http://www.politika.co.rs/sr/clanak/286773/Drustvo/Odbijena-rehabilitacija-Milana-Nedica |access-date=18 August 2020 |work=Politika |date=12 March 2014 |language=Serbian}}</ref> In 2015, the Serbian Liberal Council, now led by Aleksandar Nedić, repeated the request.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bilbija |first1=Bojan |title=Ponovljen zahtev za rehabilitaciju Milana Nedića |url=http://www.politika.rs/scc/clanak/334075/Ponovljen-zahtev-za-rehabilitaciju-Milana-Nedica |access-date=18 August 2020 |work=Politika |date=25 July 2015 |language=Serbian}}</ref> The High Court in Belgrade declined the request in July 2018,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Crnjanski Spasojević |first1=Vojislava |title=Nedić nije rehabilitovan |url=https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/naslovna/drustvo/aktuelno.290.html:740412-Nedic-nije-rehabilitovan |access-date=18 August 2020 |work=Večernje novosti |date=26 July 2018 |language=Serbian}}</ref> followed by the Appellate Court in Belgrade in April 2019.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sud odbio rehabilitaciju Milana Nedića |url=http://www.politika.rs/scc/clanak/428089/Sud-odbio-rehabilitaciju-Milana-Nedica |access-date=18 August 2020 |work=Politika |date=23 April 2019 |language=Serbian}}</ref>
==Publishing work== Besides their political work, the Serbian Liberal Party has published several texts of its prominent members, as well as ''Liberal (The Liberal)'', a monthly magazine edited by Vladan Banković between 1994 and 1995.
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Nedić |editor1-first=Aleksandar |editor2-last=Jeremić |editor2-first=Milovan |title=Da li je bilo sve tako u Srebrenici? |date=2005 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=86-907073-1-X |language=Serbian}} ''(Was It Really so in [[Srebrenica massacre|Srebrenica]]?)'' * {{cite book |last1=Milošević |first1=Pavle |title=Jugoslovenska vojska u otadžbini 1941-1945 |date=2005 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=86-907073-2-8 |language=Serbian}} ''([[Chetniks|The Yugoslav Army in the Homeland]] 1941-1945)'' * {{cite book |editor1-last=Đurišić |editor1-first=Predrag |editor2-last=Nedić |editor2-first=Aleksandar |editor3-last=Božić |editor3-first=Vidoje |title=Odabrani tekstovi akademika Nikole Miloševića i akademika Koste Čavoškog |date=2005 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=86-907073-0-1 |language=Serbian}} ''(Selected Texts of the Academician [[Nikola Milošević (politician)|Nikola Milošević]] and the Academician [[Kosta Čavoški]])'' * {{cite book |last1=Čortanović |first1=Slava |last2=Mavrenović |first2=Slobodan |last3=Nedić |first3=Aleksandar |title=Drugačija istina |date=2006 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=86-907073-5-2 |language=Serbian}} ''(A Different Truth)'' * {{cite book |last1=Nikolić |first1=Pavle |last2=Jeremić |first2=Milovan |last3=Nedić |first3=Aleksandar |last4=Mavrenović |first4=Slobodan |title=Bez kralja ne valja – zašto je Srbiji potrebna monarhija |date=2006 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=86-907073-4-4 |language=Serbian}} ''(It's No Good with No King – Why Serbia Needs Its Monarchy)'' * {{cite book |editor1-last=Mavrenović |editor1-first=Slobodan |title=Slobodan Jovanović - život i delo |date=2006 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=86-907073-3-6 |language=Serbian}} ''([[Slobodan Jovanović]] – Life and Works)'' * {{cite book |last1=Milošević |first1=Nikola |title=Zapisi o lažnim demokratama : odabrani ogledi Nikole Miloševića |date=2007 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=978-86-907073-8-6 |language=Serbian}} ''(Records of False Democrats – Selected Essays by Nikola Milošević)'' * {{cite book |last1=Čavoški |first1=Kosta |title=Čemu Demokratska stranka |date=2007 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=978-86-907073-6-2 |language=Serbian}} ''(Why a Democratic Party?)'' * {{cite book |last1=Čavoški |first1=Kosta |title=Haški minotaur. Tom 1, Hag protiv pravde |date=2007 |publisher=Beoknjiga; Euroqwatro; Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=978-86-7694-141-4 |language=Serbian}} ''(The Minotaur from the Hague. Vol. 1, [[International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia|The Hague]] Against Justice)'' * {{cite book |last1=Čavoški |first1=Kosta |title=Haški minotaur. Tom 2, Hag protiv istine |date=2007 |publisher=Beoknjiga; Euroqwatro; Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=978-86-7694-142-1 |language=Serbian}} ''(The Minotaur from the Hague. Vol. 2, The Hague Against Truth)'' * {{cite book |last1=Nedić |first1=Aleksandar |title=Nisu pogazili zakletvu |date=2007 |publisher=Euroqwatro; Srpska liberalna stranka; Beoknjiga |location=Belgrade |isbn=978-86-7694-145-2 |language=Serbian}} ''(They Never Violated Their Oath)'' * {{cite book |last1=Čavoški |first1=Kosta |title=Povodi i odjeci : ogledi u "Srpskoj reči", juli 1991 - decembar 1993. |date=2007 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=978-86-907073-7-9 |language=Serbian}} ''(Reasons and Echoes – Essays from Srpska Reč, July 1991 - December 1993.)'' * {{cite book |editor1-last=Nedić |editor1-first=Aleksandar |editor2-last=Ćirić |editor2-first=Milica |editor3-last=Perić |editor3-first=Danko |title=Kako smo rehabilitovali Slobodana Jovanovića |date=2007 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |language=Serbian}} ''(How We Rehabilitated Slobodan Jovanović)'' * {{cite book |last1=Milošević |first1=Nikola |title=Filozofski ogledi |date=2008 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=978-86-907073-9-3 |language=Serbian}} ''(Philosophical Essays)'' * {{cite book |last1=Čavoški |first1=Kosta |title=Kameleon |date=2008 |publisher=Srpska liberalna stranka |location=Belgrade |isbn=978-86-87603-00-4 |language=Serbian}} ''(The Chameleon)''
==See also== * [[Liberalism in Serbia]] * [[Monarchism in Serbia]] * [[United Opposition of Serbia (1990)]] * [[Democratic Opposition of Serbia]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
===Sources=== * {{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=Robert |title=Serbia Under Milošević: Politics in the 1990s |date=July 2000 |publisher=C. Hurst & Co. Publishers |location=London |isbn=1-85065-341-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ih_Is_q4Rz8C |access-date=8 November 2019 }}
[[Category:Political parties established in 1990]] [[Category:Political parties disestablished in 2010]] [[Category:Liberal parties in Serbia]] [[Category:Conservative liberal parties]] [[Category:Defunct liberal political parties]] [[Category:Defunct political parties in Serbia]] [[Category:Democratic Party (Serbia) breakaway groups]]