18 Facts About Mihalj Kertes

Mihalj Kertes, nicknamed "Bracika", was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician.

Mihalj Kertes became a prominent figure during the anti-bureaucratic revolution.

Mihalj Kertes joined the Socialist Party of Serbia in 1990 and became the director of the Federal Customs Bureau of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1993.

Mihalj Kertes provided logistic and financial support for various undercover government operations until the overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic, which occurred on 5 October 2000.

Mihalj Kertes was born on 29 August 1947 in Backa Palanka, PR Serbia, FPR Yugoslavia, to a Hungarian father Mihalj, a tailor, and a Croatian mother Olga, a housewife.

Mihalj Kertes attended primary and middle school, as well as the Higher School of Management, with a major in social work, in his hometown.

Mihalj Kertes started working as a social work clerk in municipal administrations and became a member of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia in 1974.

Mihalj Kertes became a leading figure in the town of Backa Palanka in 1981, while his career later progressed to the level of secretary of the municipal committee of the Communist League in 1986.

Mihalj Kertes took part in the 1989 Serbian presidential election, but lost to Milosevic in a landslide.

Mihalj Kertes became a prominent figure when, during the anti-bureaucratic revolution in support of Milosevic's politics, he initiated the protests in Backa Palanka and led the protesters to Novi Sad, the capital of SAP Vojvodina.

Mihalj Kertes was linked to formation of Serbian paramilitary units in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 and 1993.

Mihalj Kertes reached the ultimate and the most lucrative peak of his career when he was appointed the head of the Yugoslav Customs Office in 1993, a post he held until 6 October 2000.

From his position, Mihalj Kertes distributed an enormous number of gifts, chiefly vehicles and luxury goods, and the beneficiaries ranged from underdeveloped villages, through various state and local officials, to various special police, military and paramilitary units.

Mihalj Kertes had the power to sack whoever he did not like, and provided benefits to loyalists.

Only Mihalj Kertes faced trial, as Milosevic and Zebic died, and Sainovic had been standing trial in International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

Mihalj Kertes was absolved of charges of "joint criminal venture" with Milosevic, Zebic and Sainovic.

Mihalj Kertes faced several trials for tobacco smuggling during the 1990s and "abuse of official role".

Mihalj Kertes died on 29 December 2022 at age 75 in Belgrade.