Montenegro’s new president says country firmly on EU path

By PREDRAG MILIC
Associated Press

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Montenegro’s President-elect Jakov Milatovic has promised to speed up the small country’s bid for membership to the European Union and adhere to the bloc’s policy line toward Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, Milatovic says he will advocate for stronger ties with Serbia and other Balkan neighbors. The president-elect told the Associated Press in an interview that a key foreign policy priority is for Montenegro to hopefully become an EU member within the next five years. The Western-educated economics expert won the presidential runoff election in Montenegro on Sunday, defeating pro-Western incumbent Milo Djukanovic who has been in power for more than three decades.