Prime Minister of Serbia - History of The Office

History of The Office

The first modern Serbian government was established on August 27, 1805 in Voljavča near Stragari, during the First Serbian Uprising, as the Governing Council (Praviteljstvujušči Sovjet), while the title of the head of government was President of the Governing Council. Initially the Council had no ministers, just members, but in 1811 modern ministries were created. Government ceased to exist with the collapse of the First Serbian Uprising on October 3, 1813, however later continued in exile in Hotin (Russian Empire) from 1813 until 1814.

Government was restored on November 21, 1815 following the Second Serbian Uprising. Head of government was styled Prince's Representative (Knjaževski predstavnik). The style remained official until 1861, even after the establishing of constitutional government in 1835. Prior to that date, the office was of no major importance or influence and depended solely on the will of the Prince Miloš Obrenović.

From 1861 until 1903, the head of government was styled President of the Ministry (Predsednik ministarstva).

From 1903 until the creation of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes on December 1, 1918, head of government was styled President of the Council of Ministers (Predsednik ministarskog saveta).

Under the Communist regime after 1945, Serbia got a sort of separate Tito-appointed government opposed to the German-installed one in September 1941. First, the 'head of government' was styled President of the Executive Council of the Supreme National Liberational Council until March 7, 1945. On that day, a ministry for Serbia was created within the government of Yugoslavia (as for all the other five republics), with Minister for Serbia being in charge of creating first one-party government of post-War Serbia, which took place on April 9, 1945. Governments were headed by President of the Government until February 3, 1953, President of the Executive Council until January 15, 1991 and again President of the Government since then, but the term Prime Minister is colloquially used (especially in the media) since the government of Dragutin Zelenović in 1991. In some later articles about the recent history of Serbia, term is retroactively applied to Stanko Radmilović, Desimir Jevtić and even back to Ivan Stambolić's government.