Academician professor Rajko Kuzmanović, PhD (1988-1992)

Rajko Kuzmanović was born on 1 December 1931 in Čelinac. He finished primary school in Čelinac (1946), Junior Realgymnasium in Gradiška (1950), Teacher-training School (1954), College of Administration at the University of Zagreb (1964), Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Zagreb (1973), postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Law in Zagreb (1976), and he defended his doctoral dissertation at the Faculty of Law in Mostar (1980). He was elected as assistant professor, associate professor, full professor and professor emeritus at the Faculty of Law in Banja Luka (scientific field: constitutional law). 
He served two terms as dean at the Faculty of Law in Banja Luka (1983–1985, 1996–2000). He was elected as rector of the University of Banja Luka, also in two terms (1988–1992). He was the chairperson of the Čelinac Municipal Assembly (1959–1963), Member of Parliament in the Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1963–1965) and president of the Republic of Srpska Constitutional Court (1998–2002). He served as president of the Republic of Srpska from 2007 to 2010. He is the president of the Association of Lawyers of the Republic of Srpska, the national representative at the International Association of Lawyers, and Member of the Republic of Srpska Senate. 
He was accepted as an associate of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Republic of Srpska on 27 June 1997, and as a member on 21 June 2004. He was the first secretary of the Academy’s Department of Humanities (1997-2003) and vice-president of the institution (2003–2004). He has served as the president of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Republic of Srpska since 2004. In addition to the Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Republic of Srpska, he is a member of six more prestigious academies: World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS), European Academy of Sciences and Arts (EASA), Royal Academy of Economics and Financial Sciences (RACEF), Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RAEN), Balkan Academy of Sciences and Culture (BASC) and the National Academy of Higher Education of Sciences of Ukraine (ANVOU). 
He has received numerous civil decorations and awards: Order of Labour and Order with Silver Rays (SFRY); Order of Njegoš, 1st Class; Order of Honour with Golden Rays and Order of the Republic of Srpska (Republic of Srpska); Order of Peter the Great, 1st Class (Russian Federation); Order of St Sava, 1st Class (Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church); Order of Law, 1st Class (UIA); Order of Rule of Law (UIA); Charter of the Banja Luka Municipality; Golden Crest of the City of Banja Luka; Golden Plaque of the Čelinac Municipality; Femida award by the UIA for dedication to the lawyer profession and moral consistency in the struggle for building and preserving the legal system; “Knight of Science and Art” title, the highest award given by the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences; recognition for life’s work, awarded by the Čelinac Municipality; many other plaques, charters, titles and other awards. 
He lives and works in Banja Luka.