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Serbian reformers claim victory Serbian reformers claim victory
(about 1 hour later)
Serbian President Boris Tadic has claimed victory in the country's parliamentary elections. Serbian President Boris Tadic has claimed victory in the general election with early results suggesting a big lead for his pro-Western alliance.
Unofficial results suggested a big lead for his pro-Western alliance over ultra-nationalist opponents. Mr Tadic said Serbs had chosen the path of integration with Europe but he vowed his new government would not recognise Kosovo as an independent state.
Mr Tadic said Serbs had chosen the path of integration with Europe, but vowed his new government would not recognise Kosovo as an independent state. Despite its lead, his bloc will have to seek a coalition with other parties.
His bloc will not have a majority in parliament and will have to seek a coalition with smaller parties. Its ultra-nationalist rivals say they could still muster enough support for a nationalist coalition against him.
The ultra-nationalist Radical Party indirectly accepted the results by publishing its own projection, but its leader Tomislav Nikolic said it could still form a nationalist coalition against Mr Tadic.
The people of Serbia have undoubtedly confirmed that Serbia is clearly on a European path Boris TadicSerbian president Poll fuels Kosovo tensionThe people of Serbia have undoubtedly confirmed that Serbia is clearly on a European path Boris TadicSerbian president Poll fuels Kosovo tension
Before the vote, opinion polls had suggested Tomislav Nikolic's Radical Party was running neck and neck with Mr Tadic's Democratic Party.
Kosovo's declaration of independence was considered a major campaign issue.Kosovo's declaration of independence was considered a major campaign issue.
Disagreements over how to react when most EU countries recognised Kosovo led to the collapse of a fragile coalition between Mr Tadic's Democratic Party and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's nationalist Democratic Party of Serbia. Disagreements over how to react when most EU countries recognised Kosovo had brought down the previous coalition between the Democratic Party and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's nationalist Democratic Party of Serbia.
Some seven million Serbs were eligible to go to the polls and the turnout was 60.7%, according to the non-governmental Centre for Free Elections and Democracy.
Sigh of reliefSigh of relief
Mr Tadic said the Serbian people had in effect given their approval to the country's membership of the EU. Mr Tadic said the Serbian people had in effect given their approval to the country's membership of the EU, with whom a long-delayed agreement was signed just before the election.
"The people of Serbia have undoubtedly confirmed that Serbia is clearly on a European path," he told supporters in Belgrade."The people of Serbia have undoubtedly confirmed that Serbia is clearly on a European path," he told supporters in Belgrade.
A statement from the EU's Slovenian presidency welcomed a "clear victory" for pro-European forces, and said it hoped they would quickly form a government.A statement from the EU's Slovenian presidency welcomed a "clear victory" for pro-European forces, and said it hoped they would quickly form a government.
Some seven million Serbs were eligible to go to the polls. A projection of the result based on a sample count throughout the country suggested the Democratic Party and its allies had won about 39% and the Radicals, 29%.
The final turnout was 60.7%, the non-governmental Centre for Free Elections and Democracy said. Mr Tadic's alliance is projected to have around 103 seats in the 250-seat parliament.
A projection of the result based on a sample count throughout the country suggested the Democratic Party and its allies had won about 39% and the ultra-nationalist Radical Party 29%. He could move to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, the only Serbian party that accepts the independence of Kosovo. However it was not immediately clear if they had passed the 5% threshold for entering parliament.
His alliance is projected to have around 103 seats in the 250-seat parliament. Mr Tadic may have to turn to the most unlikely of bedfellows, the Socialist Party of the late dictator, Slobodan Milosevic, the BBC's Oana Lungescu reports.
The BBC's Oana Lungescu in Belgrade says that if confirmed the unofficial results would trigger a collective sigh of relief across Europe. Mr Kostunica's party earlier ruled out entering a new coalition with Mr Tadic's supporters.
Mr Tadic, narrowly re-elected in January against Mr Nikolic, could now claim a much stronger mandate for his pledge to bring Serbia closer to the EU, she says. However, theoretically, on the basis of the projections, the Radicals could form a coalition with the Socialists and Mr Kostunica, netting a majority of one in parliament.
But with no overall majority for the reformers, the result could still allow nationalist parties to form a larger bloc. 'Harsh violation'
Polarised nation President Tadic's victory, if confirmed, will trigger a collective sigh of relief across the EU, our correspondent adds.
It is just over a year since the last, inconclusive general election. The Radicals' leader accused President Tadic of spreading fear on Sunday night by insisting his party was the only one capable of forming a new coalition.
A bitter campaign seems to have left Serbia more polarised than ever, our correspondent says.
Serbia's President Boris Tadic casts his voteSerbia's President Boris Tadic casts his vote
The Radical Party has argued that signing the EU agreement was tantamount to recognising Kosovo independence, and has promised closer ties to Moscow. "By harshly violating the constitution this evening, Boris Tadic indicated that civil unrest was possible," Mr Nikolic said.
However, there are fears that Serbia is headed once again for a weak government, if not months of political squabbling and instability, our correspondent adds. Meanwhile, Tadic supporters have been celebrating in Belgrade with fireworks.
In Kosovo, national and council elections have been organised directly by Serbia in defiance of the Albanian and international authorities. Cars decked with party and EU symbols blew their horns as they circled the city centre.
The Serbian capital is plastered with election posters Serbs in Kosovo also voted in the election in defiance of the ethnic Albanian government and international authorities.
Many Kosovo Serbs see the polls as a chance to elect genuine local leaders at last, the BBC's Nick Thorpe reports from Pristina. In addition, they held council elections which many Kosovo Serbs saw as a chance to elect genuine local leaders at last, the BBC's Nick Thorpe reports from Pristina.
Marko Jaksic, a Kosovo Serb leader in the ethnically divided town of Mitrovica, said he hoped the Radicals would win, describing Boris Tadic as the EU's "favourite puppet".
Oliver Ivanovic, a moderate Kosovo Serb leader in the town, suggested a win for pro-EU parties would benefit Serbs.
"If the democratic forces win these elections, I'm quit sure that Serbia will be very soon after in the EU," he said.
UN official Joachim Ruecker said the outcome of the election there would not be recognised.


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