Velimir Ilić

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Velimir "Velja" Ilić (born 1951) is the current Minister of Capital Investment in Serbian government, cabinet of Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica.

One of the most colourful figures in Serbian politics, Velja was born in Čačak on May 28 1951. After graduating from University of Belgrade's Faculty of Technology (Department of Construction Materials), he worked for different construction firms, and then became a private enterpreneur in 1986.

In 2005 he got his masters degree from the University of Kragujevac. Criticism pointing to obvious conflict of interest and breach of academic standards was characterized by him and his supporters as malicious campaigning against him.

Political career

Mayor of Cacak

During his tenure Cacak became a small haven of anti-Milosevic struggle similar to few other cities where different opposition parties held municipal power. Ilic ran the city successfully, attracting legitimate investors and developing local economy. He was extremely vocal and direct in his criticism of Slobodan Milosevic and his regime, so much so that he was forced into hiding during NATO air-strikes during Spring of 1999 fearing brutal reprisal at a time when regime often engaged in this practice of political opponent elimination under the shield of NATO bombs.

In 2000 Ilic's New Serbia joined the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition along with 17 other parties. Ilic had a large role in the 5th October overthrow as he organized and headed a long motorcade of cars, buses and trucks that left Cacak on the morning of October 5, 2000 and arrived in Belgrade after going through (often forcefully) numerous police road blocks and check points along the way. Ilic and his men then positioned themselves right in front of the Federal Assembly building, addressed the crowd, which was already gathered in hundreds of thousands, and eventually led the charge on Parliament.

In the immediate days and months after the successful overthrow, Ilic enjoyed wide praise and enormous popularity. So, many, including Ilic himself, were surprised and unhappy about him getting very little in the subsequent division of power among the DOS members. In comparison, many other leaders of small parties within DOS that had considerably lesser profile than NS and Ilic, like Vladan Batic, Dusan Mihajlovic, Goran Svilanovic, Nebojsa Covic, Rasim Ljajic, Zarko Korac, Dragan Veselinov, Jozef Kasza, Mile Isakov, etc., all received high posts. Ilic on the other hand only got to be MP in the federal Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro in addition to his mayoral duties in Cacak.

So, even though he started out as a prominent member of the ruling coalition, Ilic's role was effectively marginalized over the coming years. Since he didn't have a national platform through a high-ranking government position, he was seldom featured in the media for anything other than his frequent outburst or spats with reporters.

In late 2003 after dissolution of Serbia's parliament in anticipation of new elections, he reached out to his old friend Vuk Draskovic (also a political non-factor at this point) and their parties entered a pre-election coalition. Surprising many, they managed to get 22 parliamentary seats, which they used to form a minority government with Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and G17 Plus party. Draskovic became the Foreign Minister of Serbia-Montenegro, while Ilic got the position of Serbia's Minister for Capital Investment.

Velja's angry side

• On March 28, 2001, after accusation of being behind the incident at Cacak's Radio Ozon, when the windows on their station were shattered by unknown group of men, Velja answered: "We're not some small-time, two-bit Gypsies, here. Trust me, where we strike - grass doesn't there grow no more".

• At a press conference held in Cacak on August 6, 2001, Ilic called Vecernje novosti journalist Milena Markovic "a groupie and Belgrade junky". He then proceeded to label Novosti's editor-in-chief Manojlo Vukotic a "disgrace to Serbian journalism whose asking price is 100 Deutsch Marks in cash and a bottle of beer".

• During a Summer 2002 live phone-in on Studio B radio station Ilic was asked about road blocks that Serb refugees from Kosovo have supposedly set up in protest throughout different parts of the country. Being completely unaware of any protests he asks the host to clarify. Host explains that Nebojsa Covic, then Serbian government co-ordinator for Kosovo, said the refugees were organized by Ilic. Upon hearing this, Ilic's mood instantly darkens and he begins his tirade: "Listen to me now, Nebojsa Covic is a communist piece of garbage and a Belgrade scumbag and you're free to quote me on that anywhere you want. That sick bastard should go to sanatorium, somewhere, and I'll be happy to pay for his treatment". After somewhat settling down, Ilic informs the host that he's been at home recovering from bronchitis for days and that he has no idea about any protests, but soon fires up again, this time against the Studio B radio station itself: "all of you bastards at Studio B can suck my dick, and also make sure to take good care of yourselves because I'll come to that piece of shit station of yours and throw all you asses out the window". Finally, Ilic ends his outburst by blasting Studio B TV journalist Olja Bećković, calling her "a jerkoff" and adding "I'd let her give me a blow job if she was better looking".

• On October 11, 2002, as part of their call-in show Naslovna strana TV Cacak ran a story by journalist Jelena Katanic alleging that recently slain mobster Sredoje Sljukic was a member of Ilic's New Serbia.

Velja getting angry with journalist Vladimir Jesic