Serbian PM Vucic declares victory in presidential vote

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia

Serbia's conservative Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Sunday declared victory in the presidential elections.

Vucic avoided a run-off by winning 55 percent of the votes, according to Ipsos polling group -- the first presidential candidate in 25 years to do so.

The 47-year-old will assume the largely ceremonial role at the end of May, but is expected to retain control of his ruling Progressive Party.

Vucic's nearest rival, opposition candidate Sasa Jankovic gained 16.2 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results.

Political activist and satirist Luka Maksimovic, 26, is in third place with 9.3 percent.

Speaking to media at the Progressive Party's headquarters, Vucic said he was “very proud of the fact that we've got loads of confidence of the citizens of Serbia”.

He said he won 2.35 million of the 3.7 million votes that were cast. Seven million people in the EU-candidate nation were eligible.

"For us this is an important day because it showed the direction which Serbia wants to go. It was important for victory to be clean as a whistle," said Vucic.

The new Serbian president’s five-year tenure is expected to start off on a busy agenda topped by EU integration and a migrant crisis.