Podgorica, Montenegro - The old and since Sunday new Montengrin President Filip Vujanovic has accepted standing in the huge shadow of Montenegro's undisputed leader, Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic. The incumbent pulverized the already fragmented opposition by winning more than half of the vote to secure a first-round victory and another five years in office.
"I am proud of our President Filip Vujanovic," Djukanovic told a jubilant crowd on election night.
Vujanovic at age 53 is seven years older than the prime minister but has backed Djukanovic whenever and however he was asked to - even serving as prime minister when his supremo needed to be president.
Born and educated in Belgrade, Vujanovic moved to Podgorica and worked as a lawyer until entering politics 15 years ago with the Democratic Party of Socialists. At the time, Djukanovic was already serving as Europe's youngest premier.
Vujanovic was interior minister of Montenegro in Djukanovic's cabinet from 1995-98.
When Djukanovic became embroiled in a power struggle for leadership over the Democratic Party of Socialists and could definitely settle it by running against his former partner and friend Momir Bulatovic in presidential polls, Vujanovic stepped in.
He served five years as prime minister, the position with virtually all formal power in Montenegro, though it was always clear that Djukanovic was pulling the strings from his largely ceremonial post as president.
In late 2002, Vujanovic obediently moved aside for Djukanovic and served as Parliament speaker until his first-round, outright victory in May 2003 presidential elections.
That vote followed two elections declared invalid due to insufficient turnout, leading Montenegro to scrap the 50-per-cent turnout requirement to finally elect a president.
Like Djukanovic, Vujanovic was an ardent supporter of the Montenegran independence and professes its quick accession to the European Union and NATO.
He is married and father of two daughters.
