„The ‘SRB’ Traffic Sign in Montenegro: A Spark for Political and Ethnic Disputes“

A traffic sign installed in the Murino settlement, in the municipality of Plav, Montenegro, has sparked numerous debates and reactions not only in Montenegro but also in Pristina. The sign, which directed drivers towards the town of Peć, carried the „SRB“ label (Serbia), which provoked strong reactions within the Albanian community in Montenegro and in Pristina, who considered this label a provocation. However, this was not the opinion of the workers who were present at the site. After the sign sparked public discussion, it was removed, and the Ministry of Transport of Montenegro began an investigation to determine who had installed this sign.

The public debate began when Kaltrina Hoti, an artist and resident of the municipality of Plav, posted a photograph of the controversial sign on social media, highlighting it in several posts. The sign not only indicated Peja/Peć as a city in Serbia but was written in both Cyrillic and Latin scripts, while the name was not written in Albanian, which Hoti pointed out as a legal requirement.

Hoti wrote on her Facebook profile that this label was offensive to the Albanian minority in Montenegro, believing that it could deepen ethnic divisions and possibly „worsen relations between the two countries.“

In a video she posted, Hoti asked whether Peja/Peć belongs to Serbia, to which the workers standing next to the sign responded that „Peć is part of Serbia,“ which further sparked debates in Hoti’s subsequent posts.

Hoti also held the President of the Municipality of Plav, Nihad Canović, responsible for installing the sign, claiming that it was placed with his permission.

However, Canović denied these claims, stressing that the sign was installed without his approval and in violation of the law. He added that upon learning of the sign, he contacted the Traffic Directorate and pointed out the issue, after which the Directorate ordered its removal. Canović insisted that the responsibility for this oversight lies with the authorities who installed the sign.

The Traffic Directorate confirmed, according to local media reports, that they had ordered the removal of the controversial sign, explaining that the purpose of the traffic signage was to improve traffic safety near schools, but the installation of this sign violated current regulations.

The Ministry of Transport of Montenegro also confirmed that they did not possess the technical documentation for the installation of this sign and that they had launched an investigation to determine accountability.

The President of the Municipality of Ulcinj, Genci Nimanbegu, condemned the installation of the sign, calling it an „ugly act“ and calling for accountability from the Ministry of Transport. In an open letter to the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milojko Spajić, Nimanbegu emphasized that this move was inappropriate and showed that there were individuals in Montenegro who oppose the recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

After the removal of the sign, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo also issued a statement, welcoming the decision and stressing that the removal of the sign was important for maintaining good-neighborly relations between Montenegro and Kosovo. The Ministry added that they had intervened through the Kosovo Embassy in Podgorica to resolve the issue and thanked activists and local residents who raised awareness about this matter.

There have been harsh reactions from Pristina regarding the installation of the sign, with the author of the Rubikon show, Adriatik Kelmendi, stating that this was a serious provocation, pointing to the political connections of the Minister of Transport, Maja Vukićević, with what he claims are pro-Russian parties in Montenegro.

He emphasized that such labeling of Peja/Peć as part of Serbia not only violates Montenegro’s laws but also creates additional political tensions in the region, mentioning Banja and Milan Radoičić.

The series of posts by artist Kaltrina Hoti, which spanned several days, ended today with a post in three languages.

„We see that some people are sorry the sign was removed. If you are so sorry, start an initiative to put the sign back. I didn’t install the sign, nor am I spreading hatred among the people,“ she stated.

Montenegro recognized the independence of Kosovo.