Mirko Knezic is a Kresimirian labour organiser and former Mayor of Cetingrad (1986–1993). A Blue Dawn unionist, he bridged the lake foundry belt from the stagnation of the state steel era into the controversial privatisation that handed the mills to Maj Holdings.
Mayoralty (1986–1993)
Knezic won the 1986 special election after Mayor Vladimir Kos resigned when Chancellor Ljubo Sanjakorin blocked the sale of Cetingrad’s decaying state foundries. Campaigning on local reform, Knezic spent seven years pressing federal authorities to allow privatisation.
Following the nationally weakened Blue Dawn position after the 1992 elections, he finally secured approval to sell the complexes to Maj Holdings in 1993. Wildcat strikes over the sale forced his abrupt resignation that same year. Bran Maj installed logistics manager Said Klopje on the Vjetrusa ticket — the corporate proxy mayoralty that culminated in the 1998 Steelworks Incident.