Who is Milan Knežević, the pro-Serb politician in Montenegro who led the initiative to "de-recognize" Kosovo?

The Zeta Municipal Assembly has adopted a declaration that repeals the decision to recognize Kosovo, bringing one of the most sensitive political topics in Montenegro back to the center of debate.

The initiative was pushed by the leader of the People's Democratic Party, Milan Knežević, who has long been demanding that the issue of recognizing Kosovo be returned to the country's political agenda, with the aim of later taking the debate to the Parliament of Montenegro.

However, legally, the declaration adopted by the Municipal Assembly of Zeta does not produce legal effects on the international status of Kosovo or on the foreign policy of Montenegro. According to the constitutional system of this state, municipalities do not have the competence to recognize or de-recognize states, since foreign policy is the exclusive competence of central institutions.

But in the political reality of the Balkans, symbolic actions often carry more weight than the legal effect itself. It is in this context that Zeta's decision is being interpreted as a move with a strong political message, oriented towards mobilizing the pro-Serb electorate and increasing public pressure on state institutions in Podgorica.

Knežević has been using identity issues as a political tool for years. Whenever the political scene in Montenegro enters a period of tension or uncertainty, topics such as Kosovo, Serbia, NATO or relations with Russia return to the forefront. These issues continue to produce strong polarization in Montenegrin society and mobilize the Serbian nationalist base in the country.

In the background remains the ongoing clash between two visions for the future of Montenegro. One side supports the Euro-Atlantic course and integration into the European Union and NATO, while the other side seeks stronger political, cultural and strategic ties with Serbia and Russia.

Knežević is considered one of the leading figures of the pro-Serb and pro-Russian camp in Montenegro. For this reason, the initiative to "de-recognize" Kosovo is being seen more as a political signal than as a real institutional process.

The DNP leader himself has warned that he intends to take the issue to the Parliament of Montenegro, asking the government to withdraw its recognition of Kosovo.

But this is precisely where Montenegro's clash with the political and international reality begins. This country recognized Kosovo in 2008, and this decision is considered part of its Euro-Atlantic strategic orientation. A possible withdrawal of recognition would have serious diplomatic consequences for a NATO member state and candidate for integration into the European Union.

Likewise, such a development could produce new internal tensions in a society that continues to remain deeply divided on identity and geopolitical issues.

Many analysts in Montenegro consider it unlikely that this initiative will easily translate into a state decision, but warn that the debate itself could have significant political consequences, increasing polarization and putting pressure on the center parties and the government to position themselves clearly.

Milan Knežević's name continues to be associated with the 2016 episode, when Montenegrin authorities claimed an attempted coup on the day of parliamentary elections, with the involvement of Serbian nationalists and Russian elements.

Although the court proceedings later ended with the annulment of the previous decisions, that event continues to be considered a symbol of the clash over Montenegro's strategic orientation between the West and Serbian-Russian influence.

For his supporters, Knežević is presented as a figure who opposes policies they consider imposed by the West. For opponents, he remains a symbol of a policy that is more in line with the interests of Belgrade and Moscow than with Podgorica's Euro-Atlantic course.

In this way, although Zeta's declaration has no practical effect on the status of Kosovo, it is being seen as a development with great political and symbolic impact in Montenegro, once again bringing identity issues, relations with Serbia, and the strategic direction of the Montenegrin state back to the center of the debate.

The Geopost