the black Mountain. Presidential elections – results. Who won the second round – Yakov Milatović or Milo Dzikanovic?

In the second round of the presidential elections in Montenegro, the incumbent and chairman of the Democratic Party of Montenegrin Socialists (DPS) Milo Dziukanović and Jakov Milatović of the Europa Now group faced each other.

The Montenegrin Center for Monitoring and Research (CeMI), an independent election-tracking organisation, reported that Milatović won with 60.1 percent of the vote. to 39.9 percent based on an analysis of 98 percent of the votes cast.

Western-educated, Milatović, 37, campaigned on the slogan of ending corruption, improving citizens’ standard of living and strengthening ties with the European Union and Serbia.

– Montenegro has finally come to change its head of state. “We have finally become a mature, democratic and developed society,” Milatović said on election night.

– In Montenegro and more broadly in the Balkans, we must understand that regional integration is an inseparable component of integration with the European Union. He added that this is why I support the establishment of the best possible relations with Serbia and other countries in the region.

He declared that “in the next five years, we will bring Montenegro into the European Union”.

Milatović’s supporters took to the streets of the country’s capital, Podgorica, on Sunday night to celebrate their candidate’s success by setting off fireworks and blowing trumpets.

Dziukanović, a 61-year-old former communist, dominated Montenegro’s political life after the breakup of Yugoslavia for 30 years. At that time, he was president and prime minister several times. In 2006, he led the country to secede from Serbia and gain independence, and in 2017, he brought it into NATO. However, for years political opponents and many social organizations accused him of massive corruption, connections to organized crime and ruling the Adriatic country as a fund for his union.

On Sunday evening, Dziukanovic conceded defeat. – Montenegro has made a choice. I respect this choice and congratulate Yakov Milatovic.

Dziukanovic will remain in power until May 21.

Polling stations closed in Montenegro at 20.00. 542,154 citizens had the right to vote in the presidential elections. There are no opinion polls in the country, and the National Elections Commission (DIK) has said official results will not be announced on Sunday.

DIK reported that 69.33 percent of voters participated in the elections. He is entitled to vote, although this outcome may change slightly.

The term of office of the President of Montenegro is five years. Since the introduction of a multi-party system in 1990, the post of head of state has been held by three people – all representing Milo Dziukanovic’s DPS party.