Montenegro election body approves 3 candidates for March 19 presidential election

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The Montenegro election body (DIK) on Monday said three candidates were approved to run for the March 19 presidential election.

Milo Djukanovic, the incumbent president and leader of the Democratic Party of Socialists who is vying for a third term, Andrija Mandic, chairman of the New Serbian Democracy Party from the opposition, and female candidate Draginja Vuksanovic Stankvoic, a lawmaker of the Social Democratic Party, will run for the post.

The application period for candidacy ended Sunday midnight, and possible decision on other candidates will be announced by March 3.

A candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to win. If no one gets the majority, the race will narrow to the top two in a runoff after two weeks. A presidential term in the Balkan country is for five years.