Veteran leader Milo Djukanovic was set to win Montenegro’s presidential election on Sunday with 53.8 percent of votes, according to a projection by the Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI).

Mladen Bojanic, a businessman backed by an alliance of parties, including some wanting closer ties with Russia, was set to come second with 34.1 percent, CeMI said, based on votes counted in a sample of polling stations.

Relations with Russia, which had been the biggest investor in Montenegro for several years after the country declared its independence, soured when Montenegro introduced sanctions against Moscow in 2014.

During the campaign, opposition candidates accused Djukanovic of fostering cronyism, nepotism, corruption and ties with organized crime, which he denied. 

Talking to reporters Bojanic said: “I am proud of my result.  I will continue the struggle to liberate Montenegro from Djukanovic’s dictatorship.”