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me, but I also appeal to other politicians, to stop using the rhetoric of the 1990s, to look forward because it is important for future state processes. We can differ politically, but I am sure that our goal does not differ – that Montenegro be a reconciled country and that all citizens have the same chance of success in life, and that the only thing that matters for that is education, work and effort," Milatovic said.
He added that his first official visit
will be to Brussels as a sign that the country wants to put more effort into its progress towards EU membership.
However, Milatovic also said he would accept an invitation from Serbia to visit the Russia-friendly country as well.
Earlier on April 3, Serbian President Alekandar Vucic said that he personally congratulated Milatovic on his victory in the presidential elections in Montenegro, and that he hoped that, after the inauguration, the first country that Milatovic would visit would be Serbia.
"I congratulated Milatovic and expressed my hope that relations will be good
and that we will work on the progress
of relations. That is the only important thing for us," Vucic told reporters during his visit to Verona, RTS reported.
Prior to Vucic’s statement, Croatian news agency Hina reported that Serbian national flags and three-finger Serbian salutes by his supporters were seen during the celebrations in the evening of April 2 when the first results showed that Milatovic was the winner. The three-finger salute is used as a gesture for ethnic Serbs and Serbia.
Pro-Serb political leaders in Podgorica joined him at the celebration. However, this comes as no surprise as all rival candidates who trailed behind Djukanovic and Milatovic in the first round of the presidential vote said they would back the young politician in the runoff.
Milatovic’s Europe Now party (of which he is a deputy leader) is the rising star in Montenegro. It beat Djukanovic’s Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS)
in 11 out of 14 municipalities at local elections last autumn. As the country will hold a snap general election on June 11, the party is expected to become a significant factor in next parliament.
Meanwhile, international observers commented that the second round of Montenegro’s presidential election was competitive and candidates were able to campaign freely with fundamental freedoms respected. However, the
organisation noted that the tone was increasingly negative and the gaps in the legal framework became ever more apparent.
“By voting in this presidential election in such a relaxed atmosphere, Montenegrins have proved that their country has reached a high level of democratic culture and they deserve congratulations,” Joe O’Reilly, head
of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE) delegation, said in a joint statement by international observers.
“It is now crucial that Montenegro continue on its path of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, without outside negative interference. It is also essential that the Montenegrin state institutions collaborate in good faith, in order to facilitate the functioning of the political and legislative structure of the country. We hope that both this presidential election and the coming parliamentary ones will make this possible,” O’Reily added.
The joint observation mission comprised representatives of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the European Parliament (EP) and PACE.
Angry Erdogan wants election victory ‘to teach America a lesson’
bne IntelliNews
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has angrily hit out at
a visit paid by the American ambassador to Ankara to his main presidential election opponent, telling his supporters that they should teach the US a lesson.
“We need to teach America a lesson
in these elections,” said Erdogan, referencing US Ambassador Jeff Flake’s visit to the opposition’s joint candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu. “Joe Biden speaks
from there, what is Biden's ambassador doing here? He goes to visit Mr Kemal. It's a shame, give your head some work. You are the ambassador. Your interlocutor here is the president.”
Prior to the April 2 remarks – reported by Middle East Eye – made to a small gathering of people at an Istanbul branch of the Turkish ultra-nationalist Idealist Hearths group, commonly known as the Grey Wolves, Erdogan had said little that was critical of the West
while on the campaign trail ahead of the May 14 national elections. But Flake’s visit appeared to touch a nerve.
Referring to Flake, Erdogan also said: “How are you going to ask for an appointment from the president from now on?”
“Our doors are now closed to him. You cannot see [me] anymore. Why? You will know your limit. You will know your duty as ambassador. You will learn how an ambassador works,” he added.
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