The Institute of the "first lady" does not exist in Montenegro, or at least until now it has not existed in the framework in which it is the case in some other countries, such as the USA, where the first lady has her own cabinet with staff and where the tradition of her public engagement has been established.
This is what the program assistant at the Center for Civic Education (CGO) told "Vijesti". Marlena Ivanovic, talking about the role of "first ladies" in political life.
Ivanović pointed out that the wives of the president in Montenegro, in accordance with entrenched traditional norms, were mostly in the shadow of the president, appearing at important ceremonial events, but without any addresses or messages of any other kind.
"Simply, their voice was not heard, nor was it expected, because our context, in which gender equality does not fundamentally exist, has set a framework in which their role is either invisible or just static," she pointed out.
She said that there were very rare occasions before, perhaps through the New Year's Bazaar organized by the International Women's Club, that the wife of the president made an official appearance on her own and had some activity.
She assessed that socially useful work, the emphasis on improving the position of women in society, as well as the empowerment of women, were not on the list of priorities of the husband of the President of Montenegro, at least until now:
"And we will see if and how it will change in the future. Namely, recently we had a different example, when Milena Milatović delivered a speech that basically contained messages of understanding and encouragement to women, thereby announcing that she wanted to establish a new practice. That is worth remembering, although, unfortunately, that event was covered by numerous criticisms and misogynistic outbursts that had nothing to do with the content of her speech," she pointed out.
The current first lady of Montenegro, Milena Milatović, spoke at the reception that was recently organized on the occasion of the Statehood Day in Cetinje...
Since the introduction of multi-party system, Montenegro has had four presidents - Momir Bulatović, Filip Vujanović, Milo Đukanović and current Jakov Milatović. The status of first ladies is not officially defined, nor are their duties mentioned in the Law on the President of Montenegro, which, in addition to the Constitution, more closely regulates the rights and obligations of the president of the state.
Former and long-time first lady of Montenegro Lidija Djukanovic was actively involved in her husband's campaign for the first time during this year's presidential elections. At the end of March, as part of the campaign, the Women's Alliance of the Democratic Party of Socialists Nikšić organized a meeting with the then first lady.
"The upcoming second round of elections is especially important because of our children and the path that Montenegro is taking, because of the country we want to leave to our descendants, even better than our ancestors left it to us... Women, as mothers, sisters, housewives, can do a lot and help stop the problems that plague us," Đukanović said at the time.
Her voice on many topics was almost never heard, and she was mostly talked about in the context of her extremely expensive outfits and accessories...
Ivanovic assessed that the position of the "first lady" in our society should be defined primarily, because this leaves a blank space, and in addition, there is no built-in organizational-logistical part that would support her if she decided to be more proactive, as is the case, for example, in the USA.
"Until now, we have had neither public expectation nor access from the president's wives themselves to be part of socio-political processes outside of what is a ceremonial part, or outside of what for some was the profession in which they were established - for example, a judge Svetlana Vujanović", she pointed out.
"Vijesti" interlocutor assessed that it would be good for the "first lady" to play a proactive role, especially in a society like ours where there are pronounced problems in the field of human rights, including gender equality, and in recent years a dangerous trend of insults, misogyny and hate speech directed at women in public space.
"Distorted images of individuals still believe that everything that goes out of the framework of traditional in our society is wrong. These are barriers that we have to overcome, and the initiative of the 'first lady' can significantly contribute to that," Ivanović said.
Serbia: Three first ladies
"He, She and We" is the title of the cult book of the retired journalist Glory of Slava Đukić dedicated Slobodan Milosevic, his lifelong and political companion Mirjana Marković and citizens under their decade-long rule.
Well, now, unlike that time when the leader of the practically insignificant party JUL (Yugoslavian Left) - if we exclude her, of course - and with her quasi-literary rants, the current first lady, wife Aleksandar Vučić, the Serbian president, Tamara Vucic nor does she show such ambitions, nor does her husband spread influence through her. In fact, if it has any influence, it is positive, since Mrs. Vučić is considered a lady. And educated, with exceptional style and is more of a kind of fashion icon than a classic politician's wife.
Maybe it's because - let's go back to the title - Serbia is a "specific case", as one of our colleagues said about himself a long time ago, so in addition to the formal first lady, there is also a woman in the most important state position - the prime minister. Ana Brnabić who has her life companion, so turn it around, Serbia has as many as three "first" ladies.
Tamara Vučić was formally introduced to the public at the first presidential inauguration of Aleksandar Vučić, now the mother of his third child, although before that she was also at the parliamentary reception in honor of the arrival of the prince Charles, and her husband's official tabloid Informer "caught" the couple in a city restaurant. Somewhat unexpectedly for a forceful image, she was also photographed with the tireless Ivica Dačić at the Assembly of Trumpeters in Guca.
She is more than a decade younger than her husband, after studying English, she graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences, and she also graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, since 2010, in the position of adviser.
"I have been working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 13 years and I must say that even today I feel the same pride that I felt the first time I stepped over the threshold of the Ministry, because I was given the opportunity to work for my country in an important institution," she told "Blic", noting that she understood her second role as an excellent opportunity to promote Serbia.
And that she would never engage in politics professionally.
In recent years, in contrast to the initial almost anonymity - contrary to Vučić's first wife, with whom he has two children, the journalist "Pinka" Ksenija, who even after the divorce kept her surname and absolute devotion, and even after her death at the beginning of last year, she received a little state attention - Tamara Vučić really stepped out of the box, but quite restrained, precisely combining the role of first lady and her profession. Although, Pink is the house that binds Ksenia and Tamara Vučić, since the latter also worked as a journalist for a time in that house, widely known for its unprofessionalism.
In one of the rare interviews, which she gives mainly to style magazines, Tamara Vučić explained her reticence by the fact that Serbia does not have the institution of a first lady, especially not in the American style. However, it is not that she is not in the public eye, she promotes the beauty of Serbia, and is active in socially responsible campaigns and participates in numerous conferences in the field of health.
A few months ago, she was the hostess of the first lady of Cuba Liz Cuesta Peraza, but while they were walking along Kalemegdan, the public's attention was more attracted by the girl accompanying her, although more precisely her predecessors, obviously in charge of security. Before the meeting with the Cuban first lady, Tamara Vučić hosted the wife of the Turkish president Emin Erdogan, which perhaps speaks to her political affinities - or her husband's political needs! - but also to use the privileges offered by the law.
However, one should really be honest and say that the Law on the President is not very broad-minded towards their soap opera/s. It allows the right to leave from work while the wife or husband - if Serbia ever has a president - performs protocol and other social obligations, with a full salary reimbursed from the budget. Which she obviously doesn't use, as well as the option of suspending seniority with a fee of 20 percent of the president's salary.
He does not even have an office in the Presidency, unlike his predecessor Dragice Nikolić, who had both an office and a foundation into which huge sums of money were poured exclusively thanks to her position, which she used unsparingly. Often to the ridicule of the public.
It should also be included in this note that Tamara Vučić was declared five years ago by the British media, with Melania Trump, the most beautiful first lady in the world. And perhaps most important of all, those magazines that deal with the lives of celebrities glorify her as a self-sacrificing mother and an excellent housewife.
What about Ana Brnabić and her partner, an attractive doctor Milica Đurđić regarding this, things are clear - the first lady does not have protocol privileges, but she is relatively often in public. A curiosity in a country that rejects gay marriages and especially challenges their right to offspring, is that the two have a son - formally only the mother's, of course - but that precious life experience was not a signal to Mrs. Brnabić to make an effort so that other gay couples can also enjoy the benefits of parenthood.
There is another curiosity about them - they live with their son in the house that was used for a long time until her death by the only real first lady in the classical sense, Jovanka Broz. Yes, however, there is something more than protocol, which does not offer the prime minister's companion many opportunities for trips to high political society, as evidenced by the fact that Brnabić took her to London, where they signed the book of mourning together on the occasion of the death of the British queen. Elizabeth the Second.
But when it comes down to it, the first lady, the president's, is not prone to scandals, she leaves them to her husband. Just like the Prime Minister's companion, if one leaves aside the fact that he is in a "wild marriage" with a woman that is incomprehensible to the vast majority.
All in all, very unusual for Serbia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: The first ladies follow different life paths
The first convocation of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina was elected almost thirty years ago, if we add to that the specificity that it is three-member, we can agree that maybe only those who thoroughly follow our political scene and everything behind it, could count the majority of our first ladies. But whether they know how to count them or not, these are women (and sometimes men) about whom the public would like to know something.
They almost never get the recognition and credit they deserve for the job of first lady, which means that, no matter how well some of them hide, at least the first person on any important state visit or trip is scrutinized. It is important what they wore, even more important how much they paid for it, it is important how many foreign languages they speak and how they behave...
Who now in Bosnia and Herzegovina performs this informal duty and stands behind it Denis Bećirović, Željko Komšić i Željka Cvijanović? Are these women and men pulling strings from the background or are they not interested in politics? Are they there to mend a tie, be a wind at their back, or maybe the only ones to whom the leaders of the country can complain that they are tired of handshakes and loud speeches?!
For a long time in our country, no first lady has intrigued the public with her excellent appearance and perfect outfits like Mirela Bećirović, wife of Presidency member Bećirović.
When she appears, it should be in the style of real ladies of the world. Many women want to copy her elegant fashion combinations. She said that there are limitations that she had to put up with as the wife of a member of the BiH Presidency and that successful women come from all walks of life. She is glad that as a "full-time job mother, which is really the most difficult and responsible, and at the same time the most beautiful job, they saw her as a successful woman."
The first lady with the longest tenure is the wife of the Croatian member of the BiH Presidency Željko Komšić. Sabina Komšić which is rarely present in public.
She is not politically active, she is a former student of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, which she did not finish due to wartime circumstances, and is the mother of a daughter Lane. Although she follows politics, "she reads everything, she asks what she doesn't understand", she says she is an "apolitical type" and that she is glad that our mentality is such that she has not taken on the "role of the president's wife". Former US First Lady Michelle Obama in 2013 hosted the wives of world statesmen, among them Sabina.
The ladies were joined by the "first gentleman", Aleksandar Cvijanović husband of BiH Presidency member, Željka Cvijanović. He is politically inactive, so he almost never appears in the media. A few years ago, the public's attention was drawn to the news that he, together with one of his two sons, opened the company "Prim doo", which deals in the wholesale trade of chemical products. In December of last year, a photo appeared showing Aleksandar allegedly touring the works on the construction of the "Serbian Open" sports center and tennis courts, where the said company was performing the works. For many, it was an example of a classic conflict of interest. But the far bigger scandal that rocked the tournament and reverberated throughout the region was when the footage was leaked Milorad Dodik and his juicy description of the family Djokovic, who with the world's first racket, completely threw Alexander and the company and works into the sixth plan.
If we go back to the previous convocations of the BiH Presidency, we will find the only first lady who wanted to take her husband's place, but gave up her candidacy. Sebija Izetbegović, wife Bakir Izetbegović, leader of the SDA.
Director, doctor and cantonal representative, all of these were or are still the roles of the former first lady, which the domestic judiciary deals with by investigating the credibility of her diplomas. While the better half of politicians generally do not have political ambitions, they are very pronounced with Sebia, and there were those who characterized the last elections in our country as Sebia's spectacle and Bakir's debacle. Public comments about expensive outfits do not escape her either.
The title of former first lady is held by Snjezana Dodik, wife of the first baja of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik.
Photos of them together are rare, Snježana and her husband appeared only at the voting, and they were rarely caught on camera at private celebrations. Those who know her say that she does not interfere in her husband's affairs, although it was speculated that Dodik, allegedly at his wife's insistence, fired his adviser, a former RTRS journalist Željka Dragicevic, because they were "too close".
Bonus video:
