BELGRADE, April 16. /TASS/. Milo Djukanovic, who has dominated Montenego’s politics for the past 27 years, has secured victory in the first round of the presidential election, says the State Election Commission of Montenegro after 97.23% of the ballot papers have been counted.

Djukanovic secured 54.15% of the votes, and his main rival Mladen Bojanic, representing several opposition parties, came second with 33.24% The voter turnout was 63.98%, the State Election Commission said.

The only female candidate Draginja Vuksanovic was third with 8.19% of the vote. The final figures will be announced within the seven-day period established by the law. However, they won’t change significantly, SEC President Budimir Saranovic said.

Djukanovic has been either president or prime minister since 1991 with a few breaks. The term of his rule by the end of a new presidential term will be 32 years, which brings him close to the record of Zimbabwe’s leader Robert Mugabe, who led the country for 40 years. Given that Montenegro’s president is only 56, he has a chance to become an all-time champion in this category.

Milo Djukanovich was prime minister in 1991-1998, 2003-2006, 2008-2010 and 2012-2016. He held the office of country’s president from 1998 to 2002.