Honeymoon for Serbian parties

The new Assembly (Parliament) of Serbia must convene for its first meeting no later than June 19. The Republican Election Commission yesterday announced the final results of the early parliamentary elections held on May 11. Now the eight parties that have entered the assembly have a month to complete negotiations on creating a parliamentary majority.

Although the presidential bloc “For European Serbia - Boris Tadic” won a landslide victory in the elections (38.4% of the vote and 102 deputy mandates in the 250-seat assembly), there is a high probability of the emergence of an anti-presidential, anti-Western and pro-Russian coalition. It may include the Serbian Radical Party (78 mandates), the bloc of Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica (30 mandates), the Socialist Party (20 mandates) and the Party of Serbian Muslim Bosniaks (two mandates). In this case, the government will be headed by Vojislav Kostunica. In the meantime, by the end of the week, these parties intend to form a ruling coalition in the Belgrade City Council based on the results of local authorities. In this case, one of the leaders of Serbian radicals, Alexander Vucic, will become the mayor of the capital.

President Boris Tadic still hopes to form his coalition. The EU also said it expects a “pro-European government” to emerge in Serbia.

Petr ISKENDEROV