Today is the eighth anniversary of the assassination of former prime minister and Democratic Party leader Zoran Djindjic.

Born in 1952, Djindjic rebelled against the communist ideology while still in college. He was one of the first dissidents in the former Yugoslavia. He got his PhD at the University of Konstanz in 1979.

Together with 12 other intelectuals, he re-established the Democratic Party in 1989, starting his political career, which was then focused on fighting Slobodan Milosevic and his regime.

Djindjic became the president of the Democratic Party in 1994. He served as that party's member of the parliament since the introduction of the multi-party system. He was also a member of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Council of the Republics, which was a part of the federal assembly.

He led a number of coalitions against Milosevic and was elected Belgrade Mayor January 21, 1997 as the leader of the coalition Zajedno (Together).

Djindjic was one of the key figures of the democratic changes in 2000. He was the head of the election headquarters and campaign coordinator for the Democratic Opposition of Serbia during the federal elections September 24, 2000, which ended Milosevic's reign.

The U.S. edition of TIME Magazine from September 1999 put Djindjic among the 14 leading European politicians of the third millenium.

He was awarded the Bambi Award for politics in 2000 and the Polak Foundation Award in 2002 for helping develop democracy in Serbia.

Djindjic authored a number of scientific works, translated many books on philosophy and wrote many articles for various newspapers and magazines.

After being elected prime minister of Serbia in 2000, he pushed the country towards a higher level of democracy and initiated some core economic and social reforms.

His government brought the annual inflation down from 41 to 15 percent by introducing a strict monetary policy, which raised the value of the dinar. Serbia recorded a 5.5 percent economic growth in 2001 and another 4 percent in 2002.

Djindjic was instrumental in significantly improving the relations with western countries after years of Serbia's isolation.

His government started the cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and several of the tribunal's indictees were arrested during its term. One of those was Slobodan Milosevic.

Djindjic was seen as the generator of the reforms in Serbia after the fall of Milosevic October 5, 2000 and he was thought to personify the modern Serbian politician. His death on March 12, 2003 meant a loss in momentum for Serbia's European integration.

Serbia marks eight years since Zoran Djindjic's assassination

Serbia marks eight years Saturday since the assassination of its former prime minister and Democratic Party (DS) leader Zoran Djindjic.

The Democratic Party youth paid their respects at Djindjic's grave in the Alley of Distinguished Citizens at the New Cemetery in Belgrade on Saturday morning.

His widow Ruzica Djindjic and DS officials will also visit Djindjic's grave.

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and members of his cabinet will lay a wreath at the commemorative plaque in front of the government building at noon today.

The Liberal Democratic Party, whose leader Cedomir Jovanovic is a former DS member and Dindjic's associate, will mark the anniversary of his murder with 'A walk for Zoran' through downtown Belgrade, ending at the place he was killed in front of the government building.

The Yugoslav Drama Theater will host the finals of the Orations in Zoran's honor competition, which will attended by Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic.

Family, government, party pay respects to Djindjic

The family of Serbia's former prime minister Zoran Djindjic, who was killed eight years ago today, Serbian President Boris Tadic, and top Democratic Party (DS) officials laid flowers and lit candles at his grave on Saturday.

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and members of his cabinet paid their respects to Djindjic by laying a wreath at the commemorative plaque in front of the government building, where he was killed on March 12, 2003.

DS deputy leaders Dragan Sutanovac, Bojan Pajtic, Dragan Djilas, Dusan Petrovic and Jelena Trivan, the ministers in Dindjic's government, DS parliament members, as well as party members and young activists visited Djindjic's grave in the Alley of Distinguished Citizens at the New Cemetery in Belgrade.

Several thousand citizens also paid their respects.

Djindjic's grave was covered in yellow roses with a blue ribbon, the colors of the Democratic Party.