2 candidates claim victory in Montenegro elections

Two candidates in Montenegro's presidential elections, the incumbent president Philip Vujanovic and his contender Miodrag Lekic, claimed victory on Monday, creating tension among citizens of the republic with no official results released so far. Montenegro TV said Vujanovic and Lekic both told the public they won the second elections in Montenegro since the country's independence in 2006. The TV added that the committee in charge of the elections did not release any information regarding the results, expecting the commission would declare the winner later in the day. The elections started on Sunday, and it was expected that many of the 500, 000 eligible voters would cast their ballots to choose the new president. Vujanovic, 58, has held the top post since 2003. The country of 680,000 people became independent in 2006 when it separated from Serbia. Lekic is backed by an opposition bloc that accuses the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), of which Vujanovic is a member, of monopolizing power and serving corrupt influential figures.