Jakov Milatovic, the former Minister of Economy and candidate of the EUROPE NOW! movement, is set to take on the current president of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, in the second round of presidential elections on April 2. Milatovic won 29% of the votes in the first round, compared to Djukanovic’s 35%, and has stated that he is committed to putting an end to divisive policies and tackling corruption and economic reforms.
In an exclusive interview with Euronews, Milatovic spoke about his vision for a “free Montenegro, of a more beautiful, rich and just Montenegro” if he were to become the country’s next president. Milatovic was not even planning to be a candidate for the EUROPE NOW! movement, but was invited to run after Milojko Spajic was disqualified for holding both Montenegrin and Serbian citizenship.
Despite coming in second in the first round of elections, Milatovic has a good chance of winning in the second round, according to polls. He has also emphasized the significance of his victory, stating that it would be “the victory of all of us.”
The presidential elections in Montenegro will be followed by parliamentary elections on June 11, with the outcome likely to depend on which candidate wins the presidency. Many Montenegrins hope that this will help the country to emerge from the ongoing institutional crisis that it has faced in the last two years, due to the instability of the government.