Who Is Slobodan Praljak? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Slobodan Praljak was born on January 2, 1945, in the town of Čapljina, in what was then the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He became a distinguished figure within the Croatian community during the Bosnian War, serving as a commander in the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He became a contentious figure due to his conviction for war crimes, which has continued to fuel debate and interest in his life even after his death on November 29, 2017.
| Occupation | Criminals |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | January 2, 1945 |
| Age | 72 Years |
| Birth Place | Čapljina, Independent State of Croatia |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Date of death | 29 November, 2017 |
| Died Place | The Hague, Netherlands |
Popularity
Slobodan Praljak's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
- Height: Praljak was approximately 6 feet tall (183 cm).
- Weight: His weight fluctuated around 180 pounds (82 kg) at different points in his life.
- Body Stats: While detailed body stats may not be readily available, he was known for his commanding presence, reflective of his military background.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
As a public figure, Praljak's personal life remained largely private. There are no substantial records indicating he was in a romantic relationship publicly known during his lifetime.
Prior to his death, he had been vocal about his family in some interviews, though specific details regarding a girlfriend or any close relationships were minimally disclosed. Having lived a life surrounded by conflict and duty, personal relationships took a backseat, overshadowed by his military and legal battles.
His father Mirko worked for the security agency OZNA. Praljak attended high school in Široki Brijeg with the future Croatian Defence Minister Gojko Šušak.
Net Worth and Salary
Estimating Slobodan Praljak's net worth at the time of his death is complex due to the nature of his life and legal entanglements. Reports suggest he had accumulated wealth through military and private business ventures prior to his conviction. However, particular figures are generally speculative due to a lack of transparency in his financial dealings.
After the war, Praljak became a businessman. In 1995, Praljak co-founded a company with his brother Zoran called Oktavijan. His company initially produced films, video, and television programs and published Praljak's books. It later engaged in real estate business by managing a business complex Centar 2000 in Zagreb.
Since 2005, the company is owned and managed by his stepson Nikola Babić Praljak. In 2011 it had around 22 million kunas of revenue. Praljak was also a co-owner of Liberan, a company that has a share in Ljubuški Tobacco Factory, and owned other shares in few other companies.
In 2008, the Croatian Ministry of Culture deemed that 18 of his works about the Croatian War of Independence, Bosnian War, and relations between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were not books but brochures of worthless literature, and in 2013 the Ministry of Finance made an enforcement charge of 435 thousand kunas.
In total, he authored 25 works. Since 2012, the Hague Tribunal's secretariat requested Praljak to recover defence costs of around €2.8–3.3 million, as they estimated that he had assets and shares worth €6.5 million which allowed him to fund the costs of his defence.
Praljak and his lawyer refused the estimation statement because he had no property in his name even from the beginning of the trial.
Career, Business, and Investments
Praljak's career trajectory is marked by his service in the military during the early '90s Yugoslav Wars. Before becoming infamous as a war criminal, he was also known to have been an engineer and entrepreneur in various business endeavors.
His wealth largely stemmed from his engineering background, where he was involved in several construction projects, contributing to his status in the region.
Praljak was among six accused by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), in relation to the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia. On 5 April 2004, he voluntarily surrendered and was transferred to the ICTY.
In his indictment it was alleged that Praljak as a senior military official commanded, directly and indirectly, the Herzeg-Bosnia/HVO armed forces which committed mass war crimes against Bosnian Muslim population in eight municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina during a joint criminal enterprise between 1992 and 1994.
In his role as a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Defence, he was closely involved in all aspects of not only the Herzeg-Bosnia/HVO military planning and operations but the actions of the Herzeg-Bosnia/HVO civilian police too. On 6 April, he appeared before ICTY and pleaded not guilty. He chose to defend himself without a lawyer.
Social Network
Following his death, discussions surrounding Praljak continued on various platforms, but he notably had limited engagement on social networks during his lifetime. His persona was primarily communicated through media coverage related to the war and subsequent trials rather than personal social networking.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, journalist Harry de Quetteville opined that the defiant suicide was "the most dramatic proof possible of a very uncomfortable reality: many in the Balkans refuse to accept that the horrific ethnic cleansing of the 1990s was wrong".
Former US Ambassador for War Crimes Issues Stephen Rapp compared Praljak's suicide by poisoning to that of another war crimes convict, Hermann Göring, his role model, noting that in both cases the verdict nevertheless "stands for all history in establishing the facts and in showing that the perpetrators of atrocities will be held to account".
Praljak, like Göring, just managed to thwart the due process of law at its climax.
Education
Praljak held a degree in engineering from the University of Zagreb. His educational background played a significant role in shaping his post-military career, where he utilized technical skills in infrastructure development, contributing to his stature before becoming embroiled in war crime allegations.
Praljak held three university degrees. In 1970, he graduated as an electrical engineer at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Zagreb with a GPA of 4.5/5. In 1971, he graduated from the Zagreb Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, majoring in philosophy and sociology. In 1972, Praljak graduated from the Zagreb Academy of Dramatic Art.
Conclusion
As we reflect on Slobodan Praljak's life in 2025, it’s evident that his complex legacy continues to evoke discussions about war, justice, and memory in the Balkans. His story is a reminder of the intertwining of personal and political narratives, and how the echoes of history resonate even years after an individual's passing.
For more detailed information about Slobodan Praljak, feel free to visit his Wikipedia page.
