EP89: Metropolitan Amfilohije

Amfilohije Radović was Metropolitan- a high ranking position in the Orthodox Church- of Montenegro and the Littoral from 1990 until his death in 2020. <br/><br/>Amfilohije was a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which also wields considerable influence in Montenegro. Serbia and Montenegro were joined in federation until 2006, when Montenegro voted to become an independent country. <br/><br/>He was one of the key figures in a cultural conflict intrinsic to Montenegrin politics: should the country be a loyal ally of the Government in Belgrade, perhaps ruled by it directly, or should it govern its own affairs? <br/><br/>Amfilohije was never coy about expressing his own opinions on this matter, and in 2019 led nationwide protests which saw the country elect a pro-Serb government the next year. Montenegro might be in NATO, it might be negotiating to join the EU, and it might have a veneer of a pro-Western place, but its place in the Western fold is by no means guaranteed. <br/><br/>My guest today is Ljubomir Filipović. Ljubomir is a Montenegrin political scientist who focuses on foreign influence and information integrity. He is frequently invited onto global media channels to discuss developments in the Western Balkans, and works with the Atlantic Council of Montenegro and the McCain Institute.