Branislav Blažić (Serbian Cyrillic: Бранислав Блажић; 1 April 1957 – 1 April 2020) was a Serbian medical doctor and politician. Born in Kikinda in the province of Vojvodina, he trained and worked as a surgeon before becoming active in national and regional politics. Over several decades he combined a medical career with elected office in various legislatures of the former Yugoslavia and the Republic of Serbia.

Medical background and early life

Blažić completed medical training and entered surgical practice; public records describe him primarily as a surgeon by profession. His clinical work formed the basis of his public profile before he took on full-time political responsibilities. He maintained ties to the medical community while serving in legislative roles, and his professional identity informed his approach to public service.

Political career and offices

Blažić served multiple terms in the assemblies of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the National Assembly of Serbia, and the Assembly of Vojvodina. He held executive office as Minister of Environmental Protection from 1998 to 2000 during a period of significant political change in Serbia. His responsibilities in that post involved policy areas such as pollution control, natural resource management and regulatory oversight.

Key positions held included:

  • Member of parliament in state and provincial legislatures
  • Minister of Environmental Protection (1998–2000)
  • Various parliamentary committee assignments associated with health and environmental matters

Party affiliation and political alignment

For much of his political life Blažić was a member of the Serbian Radical Party, a political formation widely described as nationalist and to the right of the political spectrum. In 2008 he joined the Serbian Progressive Party following a high-profile split within the Radical ranks; this realignment reflected broader shifts in Serbian party politics in the post-2000 era.

Later life, death and legacy

Branislav Blažić died in Belgrade on 1 April 2020 during the global SARS‑CoV‑2 pandemic; his death was attributed to COVID-19. He was 63. His passing was noted in Serbia both for his prior ministerial role and for having bridged professional medicine and public office. Blažić's career illustrates the common regional pattern of professionals entering politics and the shifting party landscape of Serbia in the early 21st century.