Dragan Čović
Dragan Čović | |||||||||||||||||
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Čović in 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7th Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina | |||||||||||||||||
| In office 17 July 2017 – 17 March 2018 | |||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Mladen Ivanić | ||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Bakir Izetbegović | ||||||||||||||||
| In office 17 July 2015 – 17 March 2016 | |||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Mladen Ivanić | ||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Bakir Izetbegović | ||||||||||||||||
| In office 27 June 2003 – 28 February 2004 | |||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Borislav Paravac | ||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Sulejman Tihić | ||||||||||||||||
| In office 2 April 2003 – 10 April 2003 | |||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Mirko Šarović | ||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Borislav Paravac | ||||||||||||||||
| 4th Croat Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina | |||||||||||||||||
| In office 17 November 2014 – 20 November 2018 | |||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Vjekoslav Bevanda Denis Zvizdić | ||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Željko Komšić | ||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Željko Komšić | ||||||||||||||||
| In office 28 October 2002 – 9 May 2005 | |||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Dragan Mikerević Adnan Terzić | ||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Jozo Križanović | ||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Ivo Miro Jović | ||||||||||||||||
| Member of the House of Peoples | |||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 28 February 2019 | |||||||||||||||||
| In office 9 June 2011 – 17 November 2014 | |||||||||||||||||
| President of the Croatian Democratic Union | |||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 5 June 2005 | |||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Bariša Čolak | ||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 August 1956 | ||||||||||||||||
| Party | Croatian Democratic Union (1994–present) | ||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | League of Communists (before 1992) | ||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Bernardica Prskalo | ||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Mostar (BE, ME, PhD) | ||||||||||||||||
| Awards | Order of the Croatian Trefoil (1997) | ||||||||||||||||
Dragan Čović (Croatian pronunciation: [drǎgan t͡ʃǒːʋit͡ɕ]; born 20 August 1956) is a Bosnian Croat politician who served as the 4th Croat member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2005 and from 2014 to 2018. He is currently serving as a member of the national House of Peoples, and has been the president of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) since 2005. During his first term in the Presidency, Čović was removed from office in 2005 by High Representative Paddy Ashdown for abuse of power and position. He has also held the role of Federal Minister of Finance from 1998 to 2001 and the acting Federal Prime Minister in 2001.
Born in Mostar, Čović graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at University Džemal Bijedić and holds a PhD from the University of Mostar. He worked as a manager at Yugoslav aircraft manufacturer SOKO and was a member of the League of Communists. He joined the HDZ BiH during the Bosnian War in 1994. As the party’s leader, Čović has played a key role in constitutional reform negotiations, including the Prud Agreement, and the 2010–2012 government formation.
Čović has faced multiple legal challenges, including convictions and subsequent acquittals related to abuse of power and misuse of public funds. Public opinion about Čović is divided: he is seen by many Bosnian Croats as a strong advocate for their political rights, while critics accuse him of corruption, nepotism, and obstructing political reform.