MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. The victory of Milo Djukanovic, leader of Montenegro’s dominant Democratic Party of Socialists, at Sunday’s presidential election will have an adverse effect on relations with Russia leading to that country’s inevitable shift to the West, Head of Russia’s Federation Council (upper house) International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev told TASS on Monday.

"Djukanovic’s victory confirms that the country’s shift to the West has become irreversible. What’s more, this will continue to have an adverse effect on bilateral relations with Russia," Kosachev said.

The seasoned Montenegrin politician who has dominated the nation’s politics for the past 27 years, has clinched victory in the first round of the presidential election, Montenegro’s State Election Commission said after 97.23% of the ballots had been counted.

Djukanovic secured 54.15% of the votes, while his key rival Mladen Bojanic, representing several opposition parties, came in second with 33.24%. The voter turnout totaled 63.98%, the commission reported.