Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic has resigned after twenty five years in power.
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Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic has resigned after twenty five years in power.
The politician, whose time in office has often seen accusations of authoritarianism and corruption, is the longest serving leader in the region and has not said whether he will abandon politics all together.
He has retired twice before, in 2006 and 2010, but returned to the helm.
His decision, which came just ten days after the country’s parliamentary elections that saw the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists claim the most seats, leaves his deputy and closest ally Dusko Markovic in charge.
Markovic is faced with having to form a coalition government after the party failed to secure an overall majority.
*Reasons
It remains unclear whether Djukanovic’s departure is related to what he deemed a would-be coup attempt by Serbians on election day.
Twenty people were arrested on October the sixteenth suspected of planning armed attacks and intending to kidnap the Prime minister.
‘NATO or Russia’
The parliamentary elections were dubbed a referendum on the future of Montenegro by Djukanovic.
“Everyone is aware that the fate of the state will be decided… whether Montenegro will become a member of the EU and NATO, or a Russian colony,” he said on before the vote.