October 17 (SeeNews) - The Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro's long-standing prime minister Milo Djukanovic has won 41.1% of the vote in Sunday's general election, securing 35 of the 81 seats in parliament with 100% of votes counted, data from the monitoring group Center for Democratic Transition shows.
The opposition alliance Democratic Front (DF) won 20.6% or 18 seats, while peer Key Coalition secured 10.7% or 9 seats, CDT revealed.
With none of the major players having absolute majority, the smaller parties are expected to play the role of a kingmaker in forming a new government.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) won 4 seats, while the Social Democrats (SD) and the Bosniak Party secured 2 seats each. The Croatian Civic Initiative (HGI) and the electoral list Albanians Resolute each won one seat.
"I rightfully rejoice over the fact that the Democratic Party of Socialists has won again!", Djukanovic declared on Sunday night in a video footage posted on the ruling party's website.
"We have double the mandates of our closest competitor (Democratic Front)", he said, in response to the opposition also declaring victory on the basis of election results.
Djukanovic said that his voters have "defended Montenegro and our right to freely manage our future".
"It wasn't easy, a great force was harnessed against our small Montenegro prior to these elections", he said.
Tensions have heightened in Montenegro over Djukanovic's decision to lead the country towards NATO accession - a move strongly disapproved by neihbouring Serbia as well as Russia.
Djukanovic, who took office in 1991 at the young age of 29, has been heralded by some for steering the country away from Serbia and Russia. His election campaign was based on NATO and EU accession as opposed to a return to instability, conflict and uncertainty, to which he claimed the opposition promises would lead.
As soon as preliminary election results were revealed, Djukanovic reiterated that Montenegro will ratify the NATO accession protocol in the next few months and intensify negotiations towards becoming a member of the EU.
On Sunday, Montenegro's interior ministry said that police had detained a group of Serbs suspected of planning armed attacks in the country and capturing the PM.
"They, it is suspected, entered Montenegro with an intention to get their hands on automatic weapons and to carry, later in the evening, attacks on institutions, the police and representatives of the authorities, including top state officials", police chief Slavko Stojanovic said in a statement.
Serbia's prime minister, Aleksandar Vucic, told the media in response to police announcement from Montenegro that he had no information on the events and that "it is an odd day for this to happen".
Voter turnout was 71.98% by 20.00 local time, when polls closed.
DF is composed of the New Serb Democracy (NOVA), Movement for Changes (PzP), Democratic People's Party (DNP), Workers' Party (RP), Democratic Party of Unity (DSJ), Yugoslav Communist Party of Montenegro (JKP), Democratic Serb Party (DSS), Resistance to Hopelessness (OB), Party of United Pensioners and the Disabled (PUPI) and Serb Radical Party (SRS).
Key is made up of Democratic Alliance (DEMOS), Socialist People's Party (SNP) and United Reform Action (URA).
Milo Djukanovic was prime minister from 1991 to 1998, then president from 1998 to 2002, and PM again from 2003 to 2006. He took a two-year break in 2006, claiming he would retire from politics, but came back in 2008 as PM until 2010 when he once again stepped down, only to return in 2012 as PM.