Today’s evening, this Saturday June 4, 2005, the city of Cetinje, living monument to the Republic’s heritage, hosted the first gala ceremony of the Order of Danilo I in Montenegro since 90 years. This prestigious event in the old Royal Capital — placed under the High Patronage of the President of Montenegro, H.E. Mr. Filip Vujanović, and his wife Svetlana — started by an investiture ceremony in the symbolic setting of the Blue Saloon of the King’s Palace, the former official reception room of King Nikola I.

Sharing with the President of Montenegro a common love for the rich cultural and historical values of Cetinje, and the same ambition to see very soon their country regaining peacefully its independence, Hereditary Grand Master H.R.H. Crown Prince Nicolas invested H.E. Mr. Filip Vujanović with the insignia of Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Danilo I.

In his congratulation address, the Hereditary Grand Master particularly praised the soon move — announced for year-end — of a part of the President’s cabinet and its administration to Cetinje, a delocalisation that Crown Prince Nicolas considers as a very good sign for the future development of the city, by making of Cetinje the first cultural window on traditional Montenegro for foreign diplomatic representatives and State guests coming to the country.

Filip Vujanović was born on September 1st, 1954 in Belgrade, Serbia.
After being graduated in Jurisprudence from the Faculty of Law in Belgrade, fresh out of university, he worked from March 1978 to November 1980 in his birth town as practitioner and professional collaborator at the Municipal Public Prosecutor’s Office, and later as assistant at the District Public Prosecutor’s Office.
In November 1980, aged 26, he moved to Podgorica (Titograd), Montenegro. Following a short stint as Secretary of Court in Podgorica District Court, he worked as a lawyer until entering politics in March 1993, joining the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) upon invitation of the President of Montenegro, Momir Bulatović.
Being Minister of Justice from March 1993 to May 1995, then Minister of Interior Affairs from May 1995 to February 1998, Filip Vujanović sided with Milo Đukanović after he won the 1997 Presidential Election and supported him for new President of DPS.
Prime Minister of Montenegro from February 5, 1998 to January 8, 2003, he gave to Montenegro a new democratic impetus, being openly opposed to Slobodan Milošević’s policy. On November 5, 2002, he became additionally Speaker of the Montenegrin Parliament (Skupština), a position which, starting on November 25, 2002, made him acting President of Montenegro after President Đukanović resigned from his office.
In the 2002 Presidential Election, Filip Vujanović won by a large margin, with 83.65% of the votes, but the election was declared invalide due to a voter turnout below 50%. The election was held another time in February 2003 — Vujanović winning 81.84% of the votes — but once again turnout was below 50%. On May 11, 2003, with the minimum turnout rule abolished, Vujanović won the Presidential Election with 64.34% of the votes.
As President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanović is a supporter of Montenegro’s independence. He is married to Svetlana Božović, judge, and has three children — two daughters, Tijana and Nina, and one son, Danilo.