SERBIA: Hardline nationalist Mr Tomislav Nikolic won the most votes in Serbia's presidential election yesterday and will face reformer Mr Boris Tadic in a June 27th run-off, according to a preliminary forecast by independent monitors.
Mr Nikolic, whose Radical Party is led by war crimes suspect Mr Vojislav Seselj, now detained in The Hague, received 30.7 per cent in the election's first round against 27.4 per cent for Mr Tadic, the Centre for Free Elections and Democracy said.
If confirmed, the outcome would be a major blow for conservative Prime Minister Mr Vojislav Kostunica, whose ally Mr Dragan Marsicanin came fourth behind a tycoon, Mr Bogoljub Karic.
As people elsewhere in former communist eastern Europe voted for the first time in European Parliament elections, Serbia's choice could influence its chances of joining the EU after the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Diplomats have warned a Nikolic victory would scare off badly-needed foreign investors, even though he has toned down his rhetoric and the powers of the presidency are limited. "I want to make friends in the world for Serbia, not enemies," said Mr Nikolic (52) as he cast his ballot.
Mr Nikolic as new president would spell trouble for Mr Kostunica's three-month minority coalition government as a leading pro-market reformer, Deputy Prime Minister Mr Miroljub Labus, said he would pull his party out.
Surveys in the run-up to the election predicted Mr Nikolic would face Mr Tadic in the second round, but Mr Tadic could pick up more votes from supporters of defeated candidates.
Serbia and Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic said he expected Serbia "to vote for the path towards Europe and not towards the past and isolation".
Mr Tadic (46) heads the Democratic Party of late prime minister Zoran Djindjic, assassinated by suspected crime gang bosses last year. Like Mr Nikolic's Radicals, it is currently in opposition.
Serbia last year formed a loose union with tiny Montenegro to replace what remained of Yugoslavia after a decade of wars.
The union also has a president and parliament although most powers rest with its two member republics.
The Radicals oppose handing over suspects to The Hague war crimes tribunal. Compliance with the UN court is a key condition for closer ties with the EU.
Mr Seselj is an old ally of former president Slobodan Milosevic and, like him, is in detention accused of atrocities in the Balkan wars. Impoverished Serbia has been without an elected president since Mr Milan Milutinovic, also indicted by the war crimes tribunal, stepped down when his term expired in January 2003.