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Marinika Tepić

Marinika Tepić (née Čobanu;[1] Serbian Cyrillic: Мариника Тепић, née Чобану; born 8 August 1974) is a Serbian politician. She is a vice-president of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) and a prominent opponent of Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić and the governing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).

Marinika Tepić
Мариника Тепић
Tepić in 2021
Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 August 2022
In office
3 June 2016 – 3 August 2020
In office
16 April 2014 – 24 April 2014
Secretary for Sports and Youth in the Government of Vojvodina
In office
11 July 2012 – 20 June 2016
Preceded byModest Dulić
Succeeded byVladimir Batez
Personal details
Born
Marinika Čobanu

(1974-08-08) 8 August 1974 (age 50)
Pančevo, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Political partyLSV (2008–17)
Nova (2017–18)
SSP (2019–present)
SpouseMilan Tepić
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Belgrade

Tepić was secretary for sports and youth in the government of Vojvodina from 2012 to 2016 and has served several terms in the National Assembly of Serbia. Prior to joining the SSP on its formation in 2019, she was at different times a member of the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV) and the New Party (Nova). She is now the leader of the SSP group in the national assembly.

She has frequently accused Aleksandar Vučić of undermining Serbia's democratic institutions and of stealing elections to remain in power.[2][3]

Early life and career

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Tepić was born to an ethnic Romanian family in Pančevo, in what was then the Socialist Autonomous Province of Vojvodina in the Socialist Republic of Serbia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. She graduated from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philology in 1995 in English and Romanian languages and, in the same year, began teaching elementary school English in Pančevo.[4] She was a professional journalist from 1997 to 2009, writing and reporting for Radio 021, Danas, and the Romanian language publication Libertatea, among other outlets. Tepić is also a veteran human rights and minority rights campaigner and has served as the deputy director for the National Council for the Decentralization of the Republic of Serbia.[5]

Politician

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Local politics (2008–16)

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Tepić was a member of Pančevo's election commission during the 2008 Serbian local elections.[6] She appeared in the lead position on the LSV's electoral list for the Pančevo city assembly in the 2012 local elections and was elected when the list won five mandates.[7][8] She resigned her seat on 16 July 2012 after being appointed to the provincial executive.[9]

She again led the LSV list for Pančevo in the 2016 local elections and was re-elected when the list won six seats.[10][11] She resigned her local mandate on 4 July 2016, this time after taking a seat in the national assembly.[12]

Vojvodina government minister (2012–16)

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Tepić received the twenty-fourth position on the LSV's electoral list in the 2012 Vojvodina provincial election. The list won eight seats, and she was not elected.[13] The Democratic Party (DS) and its allies won the election and formed a coalition government that included the LSV, and Tepić was appointed as secretary for sports and youth in Bojan Pajtić's administration.[5]

In 2013, Tepić oversaw the introduction of the first sex education classes in the province, following a ten-month consultation process. In announcing the program, she said that it had the support of ninety-five per cent of parents surveyed by the secretariat.[14] This notwithstanding, some educational material provoked a backlash from socially conservative groups; the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), which held four seats in the assembly, argued that one publication "promoted homosexuality" and that Tepić should resign as secretary. She defended the material and remained in her position.[1]

She appeared in the sixth position on the LSV's list in the 2016 provincial election and was elected to the provincial assembly when the party won nine seats. She declined her mandate in order to serve in the national assembly, to which she had been elected in the concurrent 2016 Serbian parliamentary election.[15][16] The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and its allies won majority victories at both the republican and provincial levels; a new SNS-led government was formed in Vojvodina, and Tepić stood down from her cabinet role on 20 June 2016.

Member of the National Assembly (2014, 2016–20, 2022–present)

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League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina

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The LSV contested the 2014 Serbian parliamentary election on the list of former Serbian president Boris Tadić. Tepić received the sixth position on the list and was elected when it won eighteen mandates.[17] Her first term in the national assembly was brief; she resigned her seat soon after the assembly convened in order to continue serving on the provincial executive.[18]

For the 2016 parliamentary election, Tepić received the eleventh position on a coalition list that included the LSV, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDS). She was re-elected when the list won thirteen mandates.[19] The Progressive Party and its allies won the election, and Tepić served in opposition; this notwithstanding, she was appointed as head of the assembly's committee on European integration. She was also a deputy member of the administrative committee,[a] the committee on the rights of the child, and the committee on human and minority rights and gender equality; a substitute member of Serbia's delegation to the parliamentary dimension of the Central European Initiative; and a member of the parliamentary friendship groups with Germany, Italy, and The Netherlands.[20]

Tepić resigned from the LSV in January 2017, in protest against party leader Nenad Čanak's decision to contest the 2017 Serbian presidential election rather than supporting the candidacy of Saša Janković.[21] She served afterward on Janković's political committee.[22] Janković ultimately finished second against Aleksandar Vučić. In April 2017, having lost her party affiliation, Tepić was removed from her committee assignments in the national assembly at the LSV's discretion.[23]

New Party

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Tepić in 2018

Tepić joined the New Party in April 2017, becoming its second member in the national assembly after party leader Zoran Živković.[24] She was appointed to the party's presidency and was named as its provincial leader in Vojvodina. The following month, Živković and Tepić joined with three former members of the Enough Is Enough (DJB) association to start a parliamentary group called the Independent MPs Club.[25]

Tepić, a vocal opponent of fascism, was harassed by anonymous graffiti messages from extreme right-wing groups in 2017; one such message read, "Corneliu Codreanu, not Marinika Čobanu." The New Party condemned these messages and accused Serbia's government and state organs of condoning them.[26] In the same period, Tepić reported receiving death threats from right-wing groups, and Živković urged the government to assess whether she required protection.[27][28] Meho Omerović, the chair of the assembly's committee on human and minority rights, condemned the threats against her and urged the police to ensure her safety.[29]

The New Party contested the 2018 Belgrade City Assembly election in a coalition with the Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party; their combined list did not cross the electoral threshold. Tepić resigned her leadership positions in New Party in April 2018, saying that it had failed to respond properly to its defeat.[30] Some media sources reported that she had resigned from the party, but she clarified that she was still a member and, moreover, was not calling for Živković's resignation.[31] By September of the same year, however, she was no longer actively involved with the party.[32]

Party of Freedom and Justice

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On 19 April 2019, Tepić was elected as a vice-president of the newly formed Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP).[33] Like several other opposition parties, the SSP began a policy of non-participation with state institutions, including the national assembly, in 2019 and ultimately boycotted the 2020 parliamentary election.

After joining the SSP, Tepić emerged as one of the most vocal critics of Aleksandar Vučić's presidency and Serbia's SNS-led administration. She has accused the regime of involvement with organised crime groups, charging that the government created the notorious Belivuk clan before turning against it.[34] In April 2021, she accused Dragan Marković, the leader of the United Serbia (JS) party and an ally of the SNS-led administration, of organising the prostitution of women and girls, some underage, at a prominent nightclub in his home community of Jagodina. She also accused the regime of shielding Marković from prosecution.[35] (An investigation was launched shortly after Tepić first made her charges. Marković responded that the accusations against him were "lies" and brought a lawsuit against Tepić in early 2022. The matter reached an impasse shortly thereafter and has never been fully resolved.)[36][37][38]

Serbia's opposition parties ended their boycott of the electoral process in 2022. Tepić appeared in the lead position on the United for the Victory of Serbia list in the 2022 parliamentary election and was elected to a third term when the list won thirty-eight seats.[39] The SNS and its allies once again won the election, and in the parliament that followed Tepić led an assembly group comprising the SSP, the Movement of Free Citizens (PSG), the Movement for Reversal (PZP), the United Trade Unions of Serbia "Sloga", and some independent delegates.[40] She was also a member of the security services control committee, a deputy member of the defence and internal affairs committee, and the chair of Serbia's delegation on the European Union–Serbia stabilisation and association committee.[41][42]

On 1 June 2022, Tepić voiced her support for sanctioning Russia due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.[43]

The SSP contested the 2023 Serbian parliamentary election as part of the Serbia Against Violence (SPN) coalition. Tepić appeared in the sixth position on the coalition's list and was elected to a fourth assembly term when it won sixty-five seats.[44] The SNS and its allies again won the election. Tepić afterward accused Vučić and the SNS of achieving their victory via fraud and took part in a high-profile hunger strike in protest. Beyond the specific issue of the 2023 election results, she also said that she had "a duty to fight for democracy and [Serbia]'s European future, rather than being in Russia's orbit."[45] She ended the strike after twelve days on 30 December 2023, saying that it had achieved its goal of bringing international attention to what she described as the "shameless election theft in Serbia." She was quoted as saying, "The entire international community has now found out that this regime is maintained in power thanks to a false image, false results, false elections, false voters, fraudsters and thieves in power."[46]

Tepić now leads the SSP assembly group and is a member of the European integration committee, the security services control committee, and the stablisation and association committee, as well as being a deputy member of the education committee[b] and the defence and internal affairs committee.[47]

Notes

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  1. ^ Formally known as the Committee on Administrative, Budgetary, Mandate, and Immunity Issues.
  2. ^ Formally known as the Committee on Education, Science, Technological Development, and the Information Society.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Čobanu: Udžbenik ne promoviše homoseksualnost" [Čobanu: The textbook does not promote homosexuality]. Portal 021 (in Serbian). 7 October 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  2. ^ See for instance "We will not attend consultations with Vucic", N1, 26 February 2024, accessed 1 May 2024, and "Marinika Tepić: Vučić 'zgazio' parlament jer je kao predsednik odložio sednicu Skupštine", Danas, 10 March 2024, accessed 1 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Tepić o Vučićevom gostovanju na TV Prva: Jednom i on istinu da kaže", Danas, 18 February 2024, accessed 1 May 2024.
  4. ^ Milenković, Piše: Mirjana R. (8 November 2019). "Marinika Tepić: Rođena za vođu". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b MARINIKA TEPIĆ, Otvoreni Parlament, accessed 5 July 2018.
  6. ^ Službeni List (Opštine Pančevo), Volume 15 Number 10 (12 May 2008), p. 232.
  7. ^ Službeni List (Grada Pančeva), Volume 5 Number 11 (25 April 2012), p. 14.
  8. ^ Službeni List (Grada Pančeva), Volume 5 Number 12 (7 May 2012), p. 2.
  9. ^ Službeni List (Grada Pančeva), Volume 5 Number 29 (3 August 2012), p. 2.
  10. ^ Službeni List (Grada Pančeva), Volume 9 Number 8 (13 April 2016), p. 4.
  11. ^ Službeni List (Grada Pančeva), Volume 9 Number 10 (25 April 2016), p. 17.
  12. ^ Službeni List (Grada Pančeva), Volume 9 Number 20 (4 July 2016), p. 1.
  13. ^ Изборне листе за изборе за посланике у Скупштину Аутономне Покрајине Војводине (Изборна листа 2 - ЛИГА СОЦИЈАЛДЕМОКРАТА ВОЈВОДИНЕ-НЕНАД ЧАНАК - кандидати за посланике) Archived 10 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Izbori 2012, Provincial Election Commission of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, accessed 6 July 2018.
  14. ^ Colin Graham, "Sex Education - Sex education comes to Balkans," Times Educational Supplement, 20 August 2013, p. 8.
  15. ^ И З Б О Р Н А Л И С Т А ЗА ИЗБОРЕ ПОСЛАНИКА У СКУПШТИНУ АУТОНОМНЕ ПОКРАЈИНЕ ВОЈВОДИНЕ (Коалиција Ненад Чанак – Лига социјалдемократа Војводине – Дигни главу!) (2016), Archived 2022-06-28 at the Wayback Machine, Izbori 2016, Provincial Election Commission, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia, accessed 6 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Саопштење са 57. седнице", Archived 2021-04-25 at the Wayback Machine, Provincial Election Commission of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, accessed 1 May 2024.
  17. ^ Избори за народне посланике Народне скупштине одржани 16. и 23. марта 2014. године – ИЗБОРНЕ ЛИСТЕ (11 БОРИС ТАДИЋ - Нова демократска странка - Зелени, ЛСВ - Ненад Чанак, Заједно за Србију, VMDK, Заједно за Војводину, Демократска левица Рома), Archived 2021-04-22 at the Wayback Machine, Republic Election Commission, Republic of Serbia, accessed 7 April 2024.
  18. ^ 16 April 2014 legislature, National Assembly of Serbia, accessed 5 July 2018.
  19. ^ Избори за народне посланике 2016. године – Изборне листе (7 БОРИС ТАДИЋ, ЧЕДОМИР ЈОВАНОВИЋ - САВЕЗ ЗА БОЉУ СРБИЈУ – Либерално демократска партија, Лига социјалдемократа Војводине, Социјалдемократска странка), Archived 25 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine, National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, accessed 28 May 2022.
  20. ^ МАРИНИКА ТЕПИЋ, Archived 15 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine, National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, accessed 14 June 2022.
  21. ^ "Marinika Tepić izašla iz LSV, ne podržava Čankovu kandidaturu za predsednika, već Jankovića", Blic (Source: Beta), 31 January 2017, accessed 5 July 2018.
  22. ^ "Marinika Tepić članica Političkog saveta Saše Jankovića", Blic (Source: Tanjug), 2 February 2017, accessed 5 July 2018.
  23. ^ "Skupština razrešila Mariniku Tepić i tri bivša člana DJB", N1, 21 April 2017, accessed 5 July 2018.
  24. ^ "Marinika Tepić se priključila Novoj stranci", Novosti (Source: Tanjug), 21 April 2017, accessed 5 July 2018.
  25. ^ "Bivši poslanici DJB i Nove stranke osnovali novi poslanički klub", Blic (Source: Tanjug), 31 May 2017, accessed 5 July 2018.
  26. ^ "Nova stranka: Pretnje poslanici Mariniki Tepić na grafitima u Beogradu" Archived 22 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Beta, 13 December 2017, accessed 5 July 2018.
  27. ^ "Grafiti sa pretnjama Mariniki Tepić", '"Danas, 13 December 2017, accessed 5 July 2018.
  28. ^ "Marinika Tepić: Osećam se jezivo zbog pretnji" Archived 3 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine, N1, 29 January 2018, accessed 5 July 2018.
  29. ^ "Omerović: Nedopustive pretnje poslanici Tepić, tužilaštvo i policija da reaguju", Blic (Source: Tanjug), 6 December 2017, accessed 5 July 2018.
  30. ^ "Marinika Tepić podnela ostavku na funkcije u Novoj stranci" Archived 17 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine, N1, 14 April 2018, accessed 5 July 2018.
  31. ^ "Tepić: Ostajem u stranci, nisam tražila smenu Živkovića" Archived 27 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine, 17 April 2018, accessed 5 July 2018.
  32. ^ "Tepić: Podržavam osnivanje SZS", Danas, 17 September 2018, accessed 24 January 2019.
  33. ^ L. Valtner, "Formirana Stranka slobode i pravde", Danas, 19 April 2019, accessed 23 April 2019.
  34. ^ "Marinika Tepić: Vučić je stvorio Belivukov klan, zaslužni iz klana dobili posao u Pančevu" Archived 20 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Beta, 21 March 2022, accessed 14 June 2022.
  35. ^ "Tepić (SSP): Palma doživeo civilnu smrt, biće upamćen kao organizator pedofilije i prostitucije", Danas, 18 October 2021, accessed 14 June 2022.
  36. ^ "DRAGAN MARKOVIĆ PALMA: Tužiću Mariniku Tepić! Ona je Đilasov glasnogovornik kog se ne plašim". kurir.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  37. ^ "Dragan Marković Palma tužio Mariniku Tepić", N1, 11 February 2022, accessed 14 June 2022.
  38. ^ It’s been three months since the so-called Palma affair and nothing has been done", Serbian Monitor, 21 July 2021, accessed 14 June 2022.
  39. ^ Sofija Popović, ""Prva na listi Ujedinjeni za pobedu Srbije Marinika Tepić: Prepoznatljivo lice za osetljive teme", Vreme, 19 February 2022, accessed 14 June 2022.
  40. ^ "SSP, PSG, Pokret za preokret i Sindikat Sloga zajedno u Skupštini, predvodnik Marinika Tepić" Archived 30 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Beta, 24 May 2022, accessed 14 June 2022.
  41. ^ "EWB: Marinika Tepić će voditi odbor za saradnju sa Evropskim parlamentom", Danas 3 August 2022, accessed 3 August 2022.
  42. ^ MARINIKA TEPIC, Archived 8 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine, National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, accessed 1 May 2024.
  43. ^ "Мариника Тепић (ССП) о увођењу санкција Русији: То није само ствар усаглашавања са ЕУ, него и цивилизацијски став. Братислав Југовић (СНС): Ако су нам пријатељи, Русија треба да нам опрости један "нежан пакет санкција"". Нова српска политичка мисао (in Serbian). Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  44. ^ "Objavljen spisak: Ko su sve kandidati za poslanike liste 'Srbija protiv nasilja'?", Danas, 10 November 2023, accessed 4 April 2024.
  45. ^ "As Postelection Protests Rock Serbia, Hunger Striker Becomes The Face Of The Opposition", Radio Free Europe – Radio Liberty, 29 December 2023, accessed 1 May 2024.
  46. ^ "Marinika Tepić: Thanks to the hunger strike, all EU countries heard about the election theft in Serbia", Vijesti, 3 January 2024, accessed 1 May 2024.
  47. ^ MARINIKA TEPIC, National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, accessed 1 May 2024.
 
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