Serbian Nationalists Aim to Block Pro-eu Government

Rival nationalist politicians in Serbia are due to hold coalition talks today in an effort to block the formation of a government by the pro-European parties that secured a surprising lead in the general election.

The president, Boris Tadic, told cheering supporters that his Coalition for a European Serbia had pulled off a convincing victory, after early results gave it a 10-point lead over the ultra nationalist Serbian Radical party.

But it was unclear whether the president's party would be able to form the next government, because smaller blocs may yet side with the nationalists.

A count by the state election commission put Tadic's Democrats on 36.7% and the Serbian Radical party (SRP), led by Tomislav Nikolic, on 28.5%.The commission said that with around 98% of votes counted, the Democrats had 38.75% and the SRP 29.2%.

Vojislav Kostunica, the nationalist prime minister who triggered the elections by breaking with the president over Kosovan independence, saw his conservative bloc get around 11% of the vote.

The Socialist party, which went into decline after its leader Slobodan Milosevic was ousted in 2000, appeared to make unexpected gains and, with about 8%, could play a crucial role in the makeup of the next government.

The official results are due to be announced by Thursday.

Nikolic said the Democrat claim of victory was premature. There were "very clear possibilities of a coalition which does not include the Democratic party", he told Reuters. He said he would be meeting Kostunica and leaders of the Socialist party today.

Any alliance that can muster a simple 126-seat majority in the 250-seat parliament can govern. Tadic's coalition appears assured of 103 seats, the Radicals are poised to get 76 seats. If they join forces with Kostunica's bloc, with 30 seats, and the Socialists, with 21, the combined strength would be 127 seats.

"Serbs have undoubtedly confirmed a clear European path for Serbia," Tadic told supporters at his Democratic party headquarters. "Serbia will be in the European Union. We have promised that, and we will fulfill that."

But he sought to rebuff nationalist claims that his pro-EU camp would give up on Kosovo, the province in southern Serbia that declared independence in February. "The government we form will not recognize Kosovo," he said.

Before the vote, analysts had predicted that fury at international support for Kosovo's declaration of independence would translate into a huge swing to the Radicals that could push Serbia into fresh isolation.

The EU welcomed the projected outcome of the election and promised Serbia faster movement towards membership.

"It seems Tadic's Democrats will have a more important role, which makes me happy," Dimitrij Rupel, the foreign minister of Slovenia, which holds the rotating EU presidency, told Reuters. "This means Serbia will move forward ever faster to EU membership."

But Serbia's fate may yet be sealed by political deal making after the poll. With neither of the two main parties winning outright, two blocs are in a key position to decide who will form the government: Kostunica's nationalists and the Socialist party.

The nationalist prime minister has moved closer to the SRP over Kosovo and is unlikely to renew his alliance with Tadic's Democrats, whom he accuses of selling out to the EU.

"It's very important that a government is formed quickly after the election so we can continue the policy of preserving the state's integrity," Kostunica said after casting his ballot.

Tadic said he would never allow nationalists to regain power, and would name a new prime minister from his own coalition, but Nikolic warned that the president would be in breach of the constitution if he tried to rule out a coalition of nationalists.

The Socialists were keeping their powder dry last night. "Let's wait until tomorrow and see what we'll do," the party's deputy leader, Zarko Obradovic, said, adding that it was the Socialists' best result since Milosevic was ousted in 2000.

Officials said the turnout was about 60% - lower than in January's presidential election, but high for a parliamentary vote.