Milo Djukanovic

End of an Era

Europe Now candidate Jakov Milatovic (C) and the leaders of the ruling majority in Podgorica, Montenegro. Photo: EPA-EFE/BORIS PEJOVIC

PODGORICA - Montenegro's President-elect Jakov Milatovic said on Tuesday his country's potential membership in the Open Balkan initiative needed to be discussed by the next government in Podgorica, to be elected by a new Montenegrin parliament.

Two days since Montenegro's presidential election, incumbent Milo Djukanovic's loss at the hands of 36-year-old political rookie Jakov Milatovic continued to reverberate in Serbian media.

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Monday congratulated Jakov Milatovic on his election as new president of Montenegro.

Vucic expressed the belief Milatovic would demonstrate firm willingness to ensure life in peace and progress to citizens of Montenegro, the presidential press office said in a statement.

Montenegro is likely to have a new president after the sociological institute CeMI predicted 60.1% of the vote for Jakov Milatovic, the former economy minister, over incumbent Milo Djukanovic.

Presidential candidate and incumbent President Milo Djukanovic at the polling station in Podgorica. Photo: EPA-EFE/BORIS PEJOVIC

The longest-serving leader in Europe lost the presidential elections by a large margin to 36-year-old political rookie and Europe Now candidate Jakov Milatovic.

Latest data; CeMi: Milatovi won 60 percent of the vote
According to the Centre for Monitoring and Research (CEMI), which published its preliminary results of the run-off presidential election in Montenegro, the candidate of the "Europe Now!" movement, Jakov Milatovic, won 60 percent of the vote based on 98 percent of the votes processed so far.

A woman walks past campaign billboards for Presidential candidates Milo Djukanovic and Jakov Milatovic in Podgorica, Montenegro. Photo: EPA-EFE/BORIS PEJOVIC

History in the Making?

Montenegrin president Milo Djukanovic at the polling station in Podgorica. Photo: BIRN/Samir Kajosevic

Montenegro's ruler of three decades, Milo Djukanovic, is in a pickle. April 2 could become a historic day if he loses in the second round of the presidential elections and gets voted out of power.

Montenegro's everlasting-seeming leader Milo Djukanovic will try to mobilize the important minority vote to prevent his likely loss in the second round of presidential elections.