National Figures

Montenegro is a wonderful country that takes pride in its National Figures. From academics to sports and singers, fighters to peacemakers, Montenegro offers interesting background coming from its rich history.

Milos Raonic

Milos Raonic is a Canadian professional tennis player of Montenegrin Serb origin who resides in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. Born in Titograd, SFR Yugoslavia (now Podgorica, Montenegro), Raonic moved to Canada with his family at the age of three, learning the game at the Bramalea Tennis Club in Brampton. He is Canada’s highest ATP ranked male singles player since computer rankings began in 1973, with a current career-high ranking of World No. 10. He qualified for his first Grand Slam event at the 2010 U.S. Open. In 2011 he rose from World No. 102 to No. 37 in a month, after he reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and won his first ATP title at the 2011 SAP Open. Raonic, who prefers to play on hard courts, plays an all-court game. From late 2010 until May 2013, he was coached by former Spanish pro player Galo Blanco in Barcelona. Currently he is coached by Ivan Ljubičić. Statistically, his serve is one of the strongest on the tour. In 2012, he served more aces per match and won a higher percentage of service games than any other player.

Mirko Vučinić

Mirko Vučinić is a Montenegrin footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Juventus. Originally from the city of Nikšić, Vučinić found himself playing for the local team there during his early teen years. He quickly caught the attention of Pantaleo Corvino, the sporting director of the Italian football club Lecce and was transferred to Lecce in the summer of 2000. Between 2000 and 2006, Mirko played for Lecce as they moved between Serie A and B. His most impressive season was 2004–05, where the 21-year-old netted 19 goals in 28 games while Lecce was in Serie A. On the international stage, Vučinić played for the Serbia and Montenegro under-21 team. Due to injury, he was unable to represent Serbia and Montenegro at the FIFA World Cup in 2006. Following the split of Serbia and Montenegro in spring of 2006, Vučinić chose to represent Montenegro. He participated in Montenegro’s World Cup 2010 qualifying stage, where he contributed two goals. Vučinić also scored two goals for Montenegro in their qualifying stages of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying matches. Vučinić can slot into any role up in attack, but is often deployed as a left or right winger, centre-forward or as a deep lying striker. He is revered for his creativity, dribbling, his footballing intelligence and the ability to score long range goals from both feet.

Nikola Peković

Nikola Peković is a Montenegrin professional basketball player who currently plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association. He is 2.11 m tall and plays at the center position.

Dejan Savićević

Dejan Savićević, is a Montenegrin former football player. Since 2004 he has been the president of the Montenegrin Football Association. Savićević was a part of the Red Star Belgrade team that won the 1990–91 European Cup before joining A.C. Milan in 1992. With Milan, he won three Serie A titles and the 1993–94 UEFA Champions League. He represented Yugoslavia at the 1990 and 1998 FIFA World Cups and, after his retirement form playing, coached the Serbia and Montenegro national team between 2001 and 2003. Following an illustrious professional playing career that lasted 18 seasons, as well as a short and unsuccessful head coaching stint during early 2000s, he has turned to administrative matters – becoming, during summer 2004, the president of the Montenegrin FA.

Alexander I

Alexander I, also known as Alexander the Unifier was a prince regent of Kingdom of Serbia and later a King of Yugoslavia from 1921–34.

Rambo Amadeus

Rambo Amadeus is the stage name of the Belgrade-based Montenegrin singer-songwriter Antonije Pušić, who is a self-titled “musician, poet, and media manipulator” . He is a popular phenomenon on the music scenes of the former Yugoslavia. His songs combine satirical lyrics on the nature of common people and silliness of local politics. He uses a mixture of musical styles including jazz and rock, and self-conscious ironic wit

Petar II Petrović-Njegoš

Petar II Petrović-Njegoš was the Prince-Bishop of Montenegro, the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitan of Cetinje and a philosopher and poet, who, through his establishment of Montenegrin secular organs, is considered to have been responsible for the secularization of Montenegro. Njegoš was born in the village of Njeguši, near the town of Cetinje. Growing up amongst illiterate peasants, he left his home at age eleven to be educated in the Cetinje monastery, at that time the only place of learning in Montenegro. Upon the death of his uncle, Petar I, Njegoš became the Prince-Bishop of Montenegro at the young age of seventeen. As a ruler and reformer, one of his greatest achievements was persuading the feuding clan chiefs of Montenegro to introduce fair taxation, as well as a codified set of laws based upon common rights, into their primitive mountain communities. He became a leading proponent of liberating and uniting the Serb people, willing even to concede his princely rights in exchange for a union with Serbia. Although this did not occur during his lifetime, he successfully laid foundations for political and cultural ideas of Yugoslavism and at the same time introduced modern political concepts to Montenegro. He held the position of Prince-Bishop until his death of tuberculosis at the age of 37 in 1851.

Milo Đukanović

Milo Đukanović is a Montenegrin politician who has been the Prime Minister of Montenegro since 2012. Đukanović previously served as Prime Minister from 1991 to 1998, then as President of Montenegro from 1998 to 2002 and as Prime Minister again from 2003 to 2006 and from 2008 to 2010. Đukanović is also the long-term President of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro, originally the Montenegrin branch of the Yugoslavian Communist Party, which has governed Montenegro ever since the introduction of multi-party politics. When Đukanović first emerged on the political scene, he was a close ally of Slobodan Milošević. In 1996, however, he turned against Milošević, abandoning the traditional joint Serbian and Montenegrin vision in favour of an independent Montenegro. He oversaw the conversion of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro and Montenegro’s increasing separation from Serbia under his leadership, culminating in victory in the May 2006 independence referendum. After serving continuously in office from 1991 to 2006, Đukanović first retired from politics in late 2006, but he returned to the office of Prime Minister in February 2008. He stepped down again in December 2010 before returning for a second time in December 2012.

Nikola I Mirkov Petrović-Njegoš

Nikola I Mirkov Petrović-Njegoš was the only king of Montenegro, reigning as king from 1910 to 1918 and as prince from 1860 to 1910. He was also a poet, notably penning “Onamo, ‘namo!”, a popular song from Montenegro.

Elena of Montenegro

Elena of Montenegro was the daughter of King Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš of Montenegro and his wife, Milena Vukotić. As wife of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, she was Queen of Italy from 1900 until 1946.

Afërdita Dreshaj

Afërdita Dreshaj is an Albanian Montenegrin public figure best known for being crowned Miss Universe Kosovo 2011 and representing the Republic of Kosovo in Miss Universe 2011. Dreshaj is a well-known singer in Albanian speaking countries, having debuted with her first single “Nëse Je Burrë” in 2009.