Đukanović returns to premiership

Milo Đukanović has been elected to serve another term as Montenegrin PM after his predecessor resigned due to illness.

Izvor: AP

Saturday, 01.03.2008.

12:50

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Milo Djukanovic has been elected to serve another term as Montenegrin PM after his predecessor resigned due to illness. Djukanovic said he will retain the 16-member Cabinet inherited from outgoing Premier Zeljko Sturanovic and that Montenegro's integration into the EU and NATO will continue to be the government's priority. Djukanovic returns to premiership The 80-seat parliament voted 41-0 to elect him. Some of the deputies supporting Djukanovic abstained together with about 30 opposition members of the legislature. Djukanovic's and Sturanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists triumphed in last September's elections, securing a continued hold on power within a coalition Cabinet that includes other pro-EU parties. Djukanovic, 46, had led Montenegro as either president or prime minister for a decade before stepping down after steering the nation to independence in 2006. Sturanovic, who became the first post-independence prime minister, was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer last year. He said the treatment required him to quit the premiership. Analysts link Djukanovic's comeback with the government's intentions to speed up privatization and attract new foreign investors to the tiny Adriatic country with a booming economy. The nation of 650,000 people, gained independence after the breakup of its troubled union with Serbia. The two were the last remnant of the former, six-state Yugoslav federation to remain united after that nation disintegrated in 1991-92. Since then, Montenegro has prospered despite the predictions of many observers that the tiny nation was not economically viable. Annual economic growth is nearly 7 percent and foreign direct investment is one of the highest in Europe on a per capita basis. But the pro-Serb opposition has accused the government of doing little to combat corruption or organized crime. Djukanovic also told parliament his government would focus on reducing unemployment — which hovers around 12 percent — through investment in infrastructure projects, particularly roads and energy plants. He also promised to further boost economic growth.

Đukanović returns to premiership

The 80-seat parliament voted 41-0 to elect him. Some of the deputies supporting Đukanović abstained together with about 30 opposition members of the legislature.

Đukanović's and Šturanović's Democratic Party of Socialists triumphed in last September's elections, securing a continued hold on power within a coalition Cabinet that includes other pro-EU parties.

Đukanović, 46, had led Montenegro as either president or prime minister for a decade before stepping down after steering the nation to independence in 2006.

Šturanović, who became the first post-independence prime minister, was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer last year. He said the treatment required him to quit the premiership.

Analysts link Đukanović's comeback with the government's intentions to speed up privatization and attract new foreign investors to the tiny Adriatic country with a booming economy.

The nation of 650,000 people, gained independence after the breakup of its troubled union with Serbia. The two were the last remnant of the former, six-state Yugoslav federation to remain united after that nation disintegrated in 1991-92.

Since then, Montenegro has prospered despite the predictions of many observers that the tiny nation was not economically viable. Annual economic growth is nearly 7 percent and foreign direct investment is one of the highest in Europe on a per capita basis.

But the pro-Serb opposition has accused the government of doing little to combat corruption or organized crime.

Đukanović also told parliament his government would focus on reducing unemployment — which hovers around 12 percent — through investment in infrastructure projects, particularly roads and energy plants.

He also promised to further boost economic growth.

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