Montenegro voters choose president amid political turmoil

By PREDRAG MILIC
Associated Press

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Voters in Montenegro are casting ballots in a runoff presidential election that is a contest between a long-serving pro-Western incumbent and a newcomer promising changes in the small NATO member nation located on Europe’s Balkan peninsula. Observers think President Milo Djukanovic could be defeated by Jakov Milatovic, a former economy minister. Milatovic has the backing of the country’s governing parties, which advocate closer ties with Serbia. The runoff vote was scheduled after none of the contenders won a majority in the first round of voting two weeks ago. Montenegro also has an early parliamentary election in June. That vote was scheduled because of a government deadlock that alarmed the West as war rages in Ukraine.