Montenegro's Djukanovic re-elected ruling DPS head

PODGORICA, May 19 (Reuters) Montenegro's former prime minister Milo Djukanovic was re-elected head of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) today.

He was the only candidate for the post and he received the votes of 386 of the 389 delegates attending the fifth congress of his party.

Djukanovic was president or prime minister of the coastal republic from 1991 to 2006, and was the main driver behind Montenegro's vote for independence in May 2006. He then led his party to a convincing win in an election four months later.

He refused the post of premier and said he wanted to go into business. Few doubted he would remain the most powerful political figure in the Adriatic state of 650,000.

''After fulfilling the programme of Montenegro's independence, the DPS will now strive to fulfil the next strategic goal which is achieving a European quality of life for its citizens,'' Djukanovic told the congress.

In almost a year of independence, Montenegro has signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union ahead of its former partner state Serbia, which is bogged down by its war crimes past.

Since going into semi-retirement, Djukanovic has joined with former associates to open a private university. He has said he will not run for president when the term of Filip Vujanovic ends in 2008.

Djukanovic, 45, had said the DPS, which he has headed since 1998, would remain the biggest political force in the country with or without him.

Analyst Milos Besic said Djukanovic wanted to make a phased departure from the political scene and was still influential.

''I believe he will stay on some more as head of the DPS and withdraw from politics step by step.'' REUTERS NC KP2227