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| photo: vesti-online.com |
IvicaToncev, one of
the closest associates of the president of the Socialist Party of Serbia and
chief of Serbian diplomacy IvicaDacic, was mentioned in several media reports
in Serbia and abroad. These reports were mainly related to the ‘’yellow press’’
accusations regarding Toncev’s academic qualifications but also about some
connections between him and some controversial business mans. Anyway, official
state control found that there are none irregularities regarding academic and
professional background. Toncev supported these research activities but he also
wandered why he is the only state official under such a public pressure. He
believes that some interest groups stand behind the negative campaign against
him because he doesn’t belong to none of these groups. State control report has
shown that Toncev never studied at disputable school in Pec and that he
finished elementary and high school in his hometown of Surdulica. The Ministry
of education also concluded that Toncev was studying management in Belgrade and
Zajecar, but not in Pristina as some ‘’yellow press’’ has tried to
present. It should be stressed that
Toncev hasn’t been subject of any civil or criminal allegations investigation
ever. At the same time some ‘’yellow press’’ tried to judge not on the base of
concrete evidences but on the basis of some photos which were made some twenty
years ago.
And who is
IvicaToncev actually?
IvicaToncev, born
in Surdulica (Serbia), as a young man goes to west Europe where he lived till
2008 year. He was successful businessman during his stay in west Europe. In the
mid 2000’s, during the time of isolation of Socialist Party of Serbia, he
decides to join SPS after he met IvicaDacic. After the parliamentary elections
in 2008, Toncev became advisor of that time interior affairs minister IvicaDacic.
Toncev was in charge of European integrations. After Dacic was elected as a
Serbian Prime Minister in 2012, Toncev firstly became member of the parliament
and few months later he was appointed as the national security advisor of the
Prime Minister. Toncev was national security advisor since August 2012 till
April 2014. In the meantime Toncev very often travels together with the Prime
Minister as a one of his closest associates. At the same time he was engaged as
a coordinating person during the emergency situations. He volunteered as a
member of the Public Private Partnership Commission. After the reconstruction
of Serbian Government in 2013 Toncev decided to relinquish earnings he received
as a national security advisor. He explained that it is his contribution toward
rationalized state spending. Toncev was engaged as a mediator in strengthening
of friendly relations between Serbia and Bulgaria. He was also engaged on the
preparing of the new Law on Asylum. In general, Toncev is perceived as a person
with great networking skills thanks to what he was successful in several areas.
It is also related to his managerial education and skills. Toncev graduated at
the Megatrend International Expert
Conzortium in Belgrade and later he became M.A. in management at the Megatrend
University.
Since the end of 2012 he actively participates in the
financial consolidating of the FC Red Star Belgrade. He is appointed as a vice
president of the FC Red Star which expects champion title after six years
break. He is opened toward sport journalists regarding the topics related to
the financial and security issues but also for the competition issues. In the
SPS he is a member of the Main Board. He was also engaged as a chair of the
Financial Commission of the SPS. Toncev is among rare Serbian politicians who
decided to resign on the MP’s post because of political functions dualism.
While he was MP he was engaged in the work of parliamentary committees in
charge of diaspora and economy. Toncev chaired the parliamentary group of
friendship between Serbia and Austria.
