http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTZO96680620080121
Associated Press
January 20, 2008
Serbia chooses path to EU or Russia in February 3 vote
By Ellie Tzortzi
BELGRADE - Serbia is heading for a showdown next month
between a [candidate] who leans towards Russia and a
[candidate] favoring the West following the first
round of a presidential election.
...Tomislav Nikolic took 39.6 percent of the vote on
Sunday in a field of nine candidates, ahead of 35.5
percent for pro-Western President Boris Tadic.
Analysts said the 61 percent turnout - the highest
since the [overthrow of] Slobodan Milosevic in 2000 -
showed how seriously people took the vote on Serbia's
place in the world, and turnout could be even higher
in the February 3 run-off.
Both candidates oppose independence for the breakaway
province of Kosovo. But Nikolic is lukewarm towards EU
membership and argues that Serbia can steer a middle
course between the 27-member bloc and Russia.
Tadic said Serbs must return to the polls in force on
February 3 "to show that Serbia is absolutely not
giving up its European course, the path it started on
in 2000".
He warns of dark days if Nikolic wins. His opponent
denies accusations of isolationism.
"Serbia voted today for both Europe and Russia," he
told state broadcaster RTS. "The road to Russia is at
this moment more open, and I'll open the road to the
European Union."
Serbia was never a close ally of Russia in the days of
the Soviet Union, but Moscow's backing for its bid to
block the independence bid by Kosovo has reinvigorated
feelings of [solidarity] against the West.
To win the second round, the candidates must also
attract third party votes with promises of higher
living standards and jobs, as well as promising to
keep Kosovo, which is heading for independence with
Western support.
Tadic strongly backs joining the EU, despite most EU
members and Washington planning to recognize Kosovo -
Serbia's historic heartland - as independent within
months.
Many Serbs feel the country has paid enough for its
role in the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s and most want
EU membership. The question is whether their
resentment is greater than the allure of EU-fostered
economic development.
In the run-off, analysts think supporters of
pro-Western candidate Cedomir Jovanovic will vote for
Tadic while Nikolic would pick up roughly the same
share of the vote from Milutin Mrkonjic, candidate of
Milosevic's...Socialist Party.
Political analyst Milan Nikolic said the outcome might
be in the hands of...Prime Minister Vojislav
Kostunica, the backer of third-placed candidate
Velimir Ilic.
Kostunica is Tadic's partner in Serbia's fragile
coalition government but favours a hard line against
the EU over Kosovo and is keen on closer political and
economic ties with Moscow.
"Kostunica is again in a position to decide the fate
of the country," Milan Nikolic said.
(Editing by Robert Woodward)
Serbian News Network - SNN
[email protected]
http://www.antic.org/
