Dragan Marković

Dragan Marković (Serbian Cyrillic: Драган Марковић; born 2 May 1960), commonly known as Palma ("palm tree"), is a Serbian businessman, politician and entrepreneur. He currently serves as a member of the National Assembly of Serbia and is a founder and the party leader of United Serbia (Jedinstvena Srbija).

For the handball coach, see Dragan Marković (handballer).
Dragan Marković Palma
Драган Марковић Палма
Marković in 2014
President of the Municipal Assembly of Jagodina
In office
2004–2008
Succeeded byRatko Stevanović
Mayor of Jagodina
In office
2008–2012
Succeeded byRatko Stevanović
President of the City of Jagodina Assembly
Assumed office
2012
Preceded byRatko Stevanović
Personal details
Born (1960-05-02) 2 May 1960
Končarevo, near Jagodina, FPR Yugoslavia
NationalitySerbian
Political partyParty of Serbian Unity (1993–2003)
United Serbia (2004–present)
OccupationPolitician
NicknamePalma

He was the mayor of Jagodina from 2004 until 2012.[1] In February 2001, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management in the first post-Milošević government of Serbia.

Controversies

Due to public statements against the LGBT population, Markovic was sentenced by the First Basic Court in Belgrade in November 2011 for "severe discrimination", defined as "inciting and inciting inequality, hatred and intolerance based on sexual orientation".[2]

On 19 April 2021, vice president of the Party of Freedom And Justice, Marinika Tepić, accused Palma and his partners for "prostitution of women and girls" in Jagodina.[3] Tepić also revealed a video of the testimony of an anonymous man who is informed of the prostitution case. In the video he explained how everything was organized, who knew everything about cheating minors and which government members attended parties where prostitution was happening, claiming that all of this was happening in Hotel Končarevo whose "real owner" is Palma.[4] Palma responded to these claims by calling them "lies" and announced that he will sue Tepić.[5] Prosecutors announced that they would investigate the claims.[6] On 23 April 2021, rector of the Megatrend University, Mića Jovanović, stated that he was a present at a party where Palma "prostituted girls between the ages of 18 and 20 to state and municipal officials".[7]

References
  1. Градоначелник - Драган Марковић Палма (in Serbian). City of Jagodina. Archived from the original on 8 June 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
  2. "Palma osuđen za diskriminaciju LGBT populacije". Radio Slobodna Evropa (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  3. "Tepić: Palma i njegovi ljudi podvode devojčice od 15 godina". NOVA portal (in Serbian). 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  4. "VIDEO Ekskluzivan snimak svedočenja o Palminom podvođenju maloletnica". NOVA portal (in Serbian). 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  5. "DRAGAN MARKOVIĆ PALMA: Tužiću Mariniku Tepić! Ona je Đilasov glasnogovornik kog se ne plašim". kurir.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  6. "Veteran Serbian Politician Faces Sexual Exploitation Investigation". Balkan Insight. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  7. "Mića Jovanović svedoči: Video sam kako Palma podvodi devojke državnim funkcionerima". NOVA portal (in Serbian). 2021-04-23. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
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