The Information Directorate () was government agency in the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. It existed from July 2003 until June 2006, when the state union dissolved.
Previous iterations of the information directorate had existed in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1994 to 2003, and there was briefly a Ministry of Information () in the Yugoslavian government from 1999 to 2000.
A similar government agency also existed in the time of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
History The federal Information Secretariat () was established in September 1994. Although not a government ministry in the strict sense, it was overseen by a member of the federal government.Borba, 16 September 1994, p. 2. The first secretary for information was Dragutin Brčin, a member of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS).Borba, 16 September 1994, p. 3. In March 1997, Brčin was succeeded by Goran Matić of the Yugoslav Left (JUL).Borba, 28 March 1997, p. 1.
The Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) joined Yugoslavia's federal government in January 1999, and prominent party member Milan Komnenić was named as secretary for information on 18 January of that year."Preminuo Milan Komnenić", Radio Television of Serbia, 24 July 2015, accessed 28 June 2026. His term in office was brief. SPO leader Vuk Drašković was fired from the government on 28 April 1999, at which time the party's other ministers, including Komnenić, resigned in a demonstration of solidarity."Draskovic fired over Kosovo remarks", British Broadcasting Corporation, 28 April 1999, accessed 28 June 2026. The position was not immediately filled after this, although in practice Goran Matić (who was by this time a minister without portfolio in the Yugoslavian government) seems to have taken on its responsibilities again.
The Yugoslavian federal government was restructured on 12 August 1999, and Matić was chosen to oversee the newly created ministry of information.Borba, 13 August 1999, p. 3. He held this role for more than a year. After the fall of Slobodan Milošević and the coming to power of a new ministry under the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS), the ministry was dissolved and the information secretariat re-established. Slobodan Orlić of Social Democracy (SD) was named as secretary for information on 6 December 2000.Borba, 7 December 2000, p. 3.
The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was restructured as the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in March 2003. On 11 July 2003, Orlić was appointed to oversee the newly established information directorate."Orlić direktor Direkcije za informisanje", vesti.rs, 11 July 2003, accessed 28 June 2026. He did not, in this iteration of the role, serve on the federation's council of ministers. Orlić resigned from the directorship in September 2005, when his party withdrew support from the government.Newsline - September 8, 2005, Radio Free Europe – Radio Liberty, 8 September 2005, accessed 28 June 2026."Ivan Cvejić novi vd. direktor Direkcije za informisanje", eKapija, 14 September 2005, accessed 28 June 2026. The final director of the information directorate was Ivan Cvejić, who oversaw the agency on an acting basis in a more technical capacity.Vršilac dužnosti direktora Direkcije za informisanje – Ivan Cvejić,, Information Directorate, Government of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, accessed 28 June 2026.
Responsibilities The information directorate had the following responsibilities as of 2004:
informing the public about the work of the government of Serbia and Montenegro reviewing domestic and international coverage of the government studying the public's response to the dissemination of information on the government's work and familiarizing the government with the same overseeing the state union's registry performing other responsibilities in accordance with the laws of the state union and its member statesInformation Directorate, , Government of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, accessed 28 June 2026.
List of ministers and directors Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1994–2003) Political Party:
Name Party Term of Office Prime MinisterSecretary for Information Dragutin Brčin SPS 15 September 1994 27 March 1997 Kontić Goran Matić JUL 27 March 1997 18 January 1999 Kontić • Bulatović Milan Komnenić SPO 18 January 1999 28 April 1999 BulatovićMinister for Information Goran Matić JUL 12 August 1999 4 November 2000 BulatovićSecretary for Information (re-established) Slobodan Orlić SD (2000–2002) 6 December 2000 7 March 2003 Žižić • PešićSDP (2002–2003)
Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006) Political Party:
Name Party Term of OfficeDirector of the Information Directorate Slobodan Orlić SDP 11 July 2003 9 September 2005 Ivan Cvejić(acting) non-party 9 September 2005 5 June 2006
References