Economist Milatovic wins Montenegro's presidential race

BELGRADE, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Jakov Milatovic has triumphed in the second round of Montenegro's presidential elections, according to official preliminary results published on Monday by the State Electoral Commission of Montenegro (DIK).

The 36-year-old former economy minister won 58.88 percent of votes, while his opponent, current president Milo Djukanovic, gained 41.12 percent.

Although the results of the March 19 first round of elections put Djukanovic in the lead, supporters of the opposition parties whose candidates were eliminated voted for Milatovic on Sunday.

After hearing preliminary estimations on Sunday night, Milatovic said the victory was a collective effort that had helped to topple Djukanovic.

Milatovic promised that during his five-year mandate, Montenegro will become a member of the European Union.

Djukanovic, the leader of the Democratic party of Socialists (DPS) who has ruled Montenegro for over 30 years either as President or Prime Minister, congratulated Milatovic.

After completing his Master's degree in economics at Oxford University, Milatovic spent almost a decade at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), becoming its principal economist in charge of several countries.

He entered the political spotlight in December 2020 as the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism in the government of PM Zdravko Krivokapic, which was ousted in April 2022. Subsequently, he co-founded the movement "Europe Now" with Milojko Spajic, and ran for mayor of Podgorica.

Milatovic's presidential candidacy this year was unplanned. He was nominated as a replacement for his party colleague Spajic, who was disqualified for having dual Montenegrin-Serbian citizenship.