Bosnian Serb politician and physician (born 1966)
Nenad Stevandić (Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic: Ненад Стевандић; born 12 October 1966) is a Bosnian Serb politician and physician who is the 7th and current speaker of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. He is the president of the United Srpska party and was previously a member of the Serb Democratic Party.
Early life and medical career
Stevandić was born in Drvar on 12 October 1966.[1] He graduated from the Medical faculty at the University of Banja Luka in 1995 and specialized otorhinolaryngology in 2002 in Belgrade.[1][2] He was a participant of the Bosnian War in the 1990s.[3]
After completing his studies, Stevandić got a job at the University Clinical Center of the Republika Srpska, where he has been working since.[2] He was named its vice superintendent in 2018.[2]
Political career
Stevandić became a member of a political party for the first time in 1990, when the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) was founded; this was the party he had been a member of for the following seven years.[2] He re-joined the SDS in 2008 and was elected to the National Assembly of Republika Srpska in the 2010 general election.[2] Stevandić was re-elected to the National Assembly in the 2014 general election.[2] He then left the SDS in 2015 and founded the United Srpska political party.[2]
Since November 2022, Stevandić has been serving as speaker of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska.[4][5][6] On 31 July 2023, the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on Stevandić under Executive Order 14033 for threatening regional security, peace, cooperation, and undermining the Dayton Agreement related to the Western Balkans.[7]
Personal life
Stevandić and his wife Nataša have three children and own a family house in Banja Luka.[2][1]
On 18 January 2021, it was confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19, amid its pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[8][9][10]
Controversies
The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina banned Stevandić's United Srpska from participating in the 2020 municipal elections, with him being financially fined; the reason was publication of a video that could aspire hatred.[2][11]
References
External links