"Nikolic has no chance, I'm going to 2nd round" - Seselj

"Nikolic has no chance, I'm going to 2nd round" - Seselj

"We consider the circumstance of Nikolic appearing as a candidate to be positive, because it will influence Vucic not winning in the first round," said the leader of the Radicals (SRS), a day after unconfirmed reports first surfaced that Nikolic intends to run even without the support of the SNS.

This, Seselj thinks, increases his own chances in the second round.

"Nikolic's foothold is in (businessman Miroslav) Miskovic and in western factors. Nikolic and Miskovic have met in Canaj, in a salas (farm). Nikolic has links to the West. Only we are pro-Russian, because we claim that Crimea is Russia, while Kosovo is Serbia. Nikolic came from a zero and to a zero he is returning. He has no chance whatsoever in the elections, while Vucic and I are going to the second round," Seselj said. "I have Nikolic and Vucic, (Sasa) Jankovic and (Vuk) Jeremic in my sights, I don't deal with the rest of them small-timers. I disown any mentorship and paternity of Nikolic and Vucic," Seselj said.

The Progressive Party (SNS) was formed in 2008, while Seselj was incarcerated by the Hague Tribunal, by a group of SRS members of the National Assembly, led by Tomislav Nikolic and Aleksandar Vucic - who were up until that point Seselj's close associates and high ranking officials of his party.

The move has created lasting political acrimony between the two parties and their leaders.

During the news conference today, Seselj also asked reporters "not to remind him" of the fact Nikolic served as best man at his wedding, and added: "That's a painful wound to me."