Montenegro Calls Presidential Elections For April

Montenegro will hold presidential elections on April 15, after the speaker of parliament officially called the elections on Friday.

"I believe that elections will be held in a positive and democratic atmosphere and that we, all together, will prove why Montenegro is a leader in the region," Brajovic said, according to Radio Free Europe, RFE.

He called on all citizens to vote and choose the best candidates. The deadline for filing candidacies is March 26.

However, the country's opposition parties are still biding their time regarding participation in the upcoming presidential elections.

As BIRN previously reported, Montenegro's veteran political leader Milo Djukanovic, who stepped out from running the government last year, might run for the presidency.

Djukanovic stepped down last October after being prime minister or president for almost three decades. He played a prominent role in the campaign for the local elections on November 26 - which some see an an indication of his likely return to high office.

RFE said that according to latest survey, published in December, Djukanovic has the support of almost 40 per cent of voters, while the head of the opposition Democratic Montenegro, Aleksa Becic, enjoy the support of 30 per cent.

The mandate of the current President, Filip Vujanovic, expires in May, and he cannot be re-elected.

This will be the third presidential election in Montenegro since the former Yugoslav republic proclaimed independence in 2006.