Long-serving Montenegro president seeks re-election

By PREDRAG MILIC
Associated Press

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Voters in Montenegro are casting ballots in a presidential election marked by a deep political crisis and uncertainty over whether the small NATO member state in the Balkans will unblock its bid to join the European Union or seek instead to improve ties with Serbia and Russia. Analysts predict that the first round of Montenegro’s presidential vote on Sunday will not produce a clear winner and that pro-Western incumbent Milo Djukanovic, 61, will face one of several challengers in a runoff vote in two weeks. Though the presidency is largely ceremonial, the ballot is seen as a key indicator of popular sentiment ahead of a parliamentary election on June 11.