New elections for Serbia?

BELGRADE – Serbia’s president is expected to call early parliamentary elections this week following the collapse of the coalition government over Kosovo’s independence and the Balkan country’s future in the European Union.

President Boris Tadic is expected to make the announcement today or tomorrow. The vote – likely to be held in May will determine whether Serbia continues on a path toward the EU or reverts to the international isolation of the 1990s under late strongman Slobodan Milosevic.Last month, pro-Western Tadic narrowly defeated an ultranationalist candidate in a presidential vote seen as a referendum on the country’s membership in the EU.However, the ultranationalist Radicals – the largest group in the current parliament – could team up with Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica in the upcoming vote.On Saturday, Kostunica – a nationalist – said his government could no longer function alongside Tadic’s pro-Western Democrats because of the Democrats’ insistence on pursuing EU membership even though 18 of the bloc’s 27 member nations have moved to recognise newly independent Kosovo.The vote – likely to be held in May will determine whether Serbia continues on a path toward the EU or reverts to the international isolation of the 1990s under late strongman Slobodan Milosevic.Last month, pro-Western Tadic narrowly defeated an ultranationalist candidate in a presidential vote seen as a referendum on the country’s membership in the EU.However, the ultranationalist Radicals – the largest group in the current parliament – could team up with Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica in the upcoming vote.On Saturday, Kostunica – a nationalist – said his government could no longer function alongside Tadic’s pro-Western Democrats because of the Democrats’ insistence on pursuing EU membership even though 18 of the bloc’s 27 member nations have moved to recognise newly independent Kosovo.