DS coalition wins, set to seek partners

Let us hope that the high turnout continues and that there is a clear result. It is vital for Serbia that the will of the people is firmly established. Then as long as the new government acts in the interests of the people all will be well. I am praying for Serbia today - my home from home. Good luck.

Very exciting! I hope Tadic gets tossed on his behind and
we get someone who says NO MORE to the EU games.Tadic will not even let people see what his deal with the devil says and he wants a vote on it. Nikolic all the way.

tom, god bless you for that comment.
i voted pro serbia, dss. but any pro serbia party's fine, really.

Consider it like this:
The West is on trial in Serbia today.

On Friday May 9th Thaci met with two top Slovenian officials. In that meeting Thaci, talking about the Serbian elections today said that (paraphrasing) he hopes & supports Tadic and DS in victory today. Interesting that B92 left that out of yesterdays article.

Every one who votes for the DS, G17 and other "YELLOWS" is voting for the interests of Albanian separatists and their foreign sponsors, you are voting for the further separation of Serbia.

Go and vote Serbia!

Finally!

As alays in anglo-american parrot media, it´s an election between the dark forces of sulphur and the bright future-€U-leaning democrats.

They also seems to know the results in advance, a 50/50 race as it has been described. Half the country are evil peasants and the other half good and educated.

Well, that fantsy figure is not going to be self-fulfilling, not this time, but if it indeed does, Serbia dont deserve any better.

"if you are right, then I hope we in the west are going to be sentenced for to stop at once pumping money in a country, which has not learned to stand on it's own feet yet."

Perhaps if this country was not bombed by NATO, there would not be need of pumping money,

Anyway I wish to Serbs good luck.... If your vote will resolve into blocking your path to EU, good for You.

From my today perspective and after experiences with how is EU working, I would think twice about joining it....I really doubt if it is worth it even under normal circumstances......

Problem is that others do not see it and keep joining and joining:) All see just money from Brussels, but not negatives which are really many.....(unless you like if somebody try to organize your life in any possible manner......)

I hope DS wins as they can only differentiate relalism from phantacism. Otherwise it will be intesting to see this union with russia.it will be the first time in many many years that anybody has asked to join russia.Its funny these people talking about voting for serbia then talking about giving up sovernity to russia.

Socialists, once led by Milosevic, got the support of eight percent of voters, slightly higher than predicted-

A majority can be cobbled in the form of DSS/SRS/Socialists...

Otherwise back to the polls...!

Well, as expected, it looks like the SRS/DSS/NS/SPS have enough seats to form a new government. 127 being one more than needed.

That is a great victory for Serbia's freedom and for the protection of Kosovo.

I am a little concerned about potential election fraud seeing the DS achieved 38.9%. That gain is a little unrealistic seeing they were at about 31% before the election.

I'd be interested to know who these independents represent (that control 7 seats).

Congratulations to Serbia and the Serbian people. Hold you head high and be proud. Time to start moving forward.

Despite all the headlines and spin I read about a 'DS victory', this is anything but that. You see, despite all the interference by outsiders, the SAA signing scam, free visas, talk of 'isolation' and all other bribery by Solana's boys, the DS-Canak coalition still only could muster 103 seats. That is far from a majority. Even if they team up with the treasonous LDP (13 seats) and all other independents (7 seats), that still only gives them 123 seats - not a majority!
As for all this talk of the Socialists teaming up with the DS, that is veeery veeeery wishful thinking by Solana's boys! Do you honestly expect the Socialists to team up with the very same people who sent Milosevic to the Hague?? Think again.
The Socialists are far closer to the SRS and DSS, and will most likely form a coalition with them. 77 + 30 + 20 = 127 seats = a majority. It's really simple math, people.
Tadic and the rest of Solana's boys can pop their champagne all they want tonight, they are in for a rude hangover when they wake up :).
Cheers!
Kosovo je Srbija!

"yes, martin. desaster of ex-YU started with bombing"

Of course not.....disaster happened when terrorist from UCK changed by some miracle to resistance.....

Well its hardly scientific but I did a straw poll of everybody I spoke to yesterday - everybody said they would vote - with the exception of a dissident friend from 1968 who has never voted.

I'm going to put my head on the chopping block and predict an unresolved result, with the radicals beating DS by a very thin margin. Negotiations will probably be protracted and limbo might last well into next week. There is even a real danger that another election might need to be held and a smaller chance that one of the sides will dispute the result.

Lets hope we get the government we deserve.

Not sure what you guys are celebrating. Looks like 40% of the vote is normal for the opposition. That's what the SRS achieved last time.

But from these preliminary results, the SRS/DSS/NS/SPS have enough to form the next government. That is the only possible coalition as nothing else is workable.

The DS lost power as soon as they signed the SAA and will not be returning to the next government. That much is fairly certain.

Lets see what the offical results bring.

Suffice to say I'm pleased at the result and the maturity shown by the Serbian people who have made some of their leaders look like the petty liars that they clearly are.

Interestingly SRS are screaming blue murder - losing gracefully has never been a good trait of these of theirs. They are activating their plan of accusing DS of irregularities - the problem being that DS are so far ahead it will not prove effective. God only knows what SRS had in mind had the result been closer. Would they have tried to provoke civil war?

Now Kostunica and DSS are climbing down and will consider being in a DS government. They are saying that this was a victory for Serbia and that it was good that there was no irregularities. They are also implying that some of their propaganda (on the SAA???) should be seen in context of the elections rather than a matter of principle. Thats right a weak DSS is a well behaved DSS. Sad but true it would seem.

In Tadic's victory speech he mentioned Kosovo upon a number of occasions which silences Serb critics that claimed that a Tadic victory would mean an excuse for DS to let an independent Kosovo come about.

So with all the rhetoric aside (not least from participants here who CLEARLY are not representative of Serbs, or do not bother to vote) what can we expect now?

DS can choose between SPS or DSS as either part of the government or as support from the back benches. The same goes for LDP. Either way DS holds the cards. There is an outside possibility that SRS / DSS / SPS may yet form a government but it is less likely.

In the end its like this DS and SRS net winner of these elections. SRS, DSS and LDP are the net losers. DSS are almost have the same amount of seats as LDP will. In normal countries parties that are punished at the ballot box have to think about getting rid of their leaders or changing their policies. Enough said.

Some of these DS supporters seem delusional or don't understand elections.

To be clear, the SRS had more votes than the DS currently have in the previous two elections and still ended up in opposition.

You see, voters only had two options - one was a vote for Serbia (SRS/DSS/SPS/NS) or the other to sell Kosovo and join the EU (DS/LDP).

Now whoever has the most collective seats wins. Quite simple isn't it? If not, then you'll soon learn.

I really can't understand why DS supports would celebrate signing the SAA when it means nothing, celebrate Fiat signing an agreement based on the SAA when it won't be ratified and now celebrate the DS loss thinking they won? Talk about delusional.

Thank god the real winners know what's going on.

Bganon you couldn't be more wrong my friend..

the DS is the exact opposite from the "drivers seat"

the drivers seat belongs to SPS and DSS/NS... it looks as if the only possible solution would be a coalition of
SRS/DSS-NS/SPS-JS-PUPS will be possible or new elections.

I will bet about 75% certainty that SRS/DSS-NS/SPS-JS-PUPS will form the next government

The SRS has since Milosevic days had the most seats in parliament but they have not really won because they have never been apart of the ruling coalition... that will change


CCCC Serbia in Europe... ALL of it

Consider it like this:
The West is on trial in Serbia today. (jjvanka, 11 May 2008 13:27)

if you are right, then I hope we in the west are going to be sentenced for to stop at once pumping money in a country, which has not learned to stand on it's own feet yet. I hope, Russia will give the money of her tax payers to Serbia then, and the money saved by the EU should be invested in the economical developement of it's own partner states.

Never have I been more happy to have made a wrong predictiono earlier (comment 15).

DS is leading by as much as 10%. This is a major surprise to so many people here, and we're certainly happier for the lot.

Heading down to Terazije now for the celebrations!!! :)

Real figures may quite differ as the results to come from the province are usually a bit late. If so the DS 39% may be much closer to the predicted 31%. Otherwise Serbian preliminary polls worth nothing. How could they make a mistake about 25% instead of normal 2-3% ?

Legal, the Kosovo Albanian's haven't been on the Serbian electoral register for a number of years now as it is impossible for the Serbian authorities to keep the list up to date.

"There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold
And she's buying a staiway to heaven
And when she get's there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word you can get what you came for "

( The Led Zeppelin )
============================

In other words it's too early to celebrate anything. Most of the visiters here believe the results are in the favour of Tadic while I personally think he has lost with the approx 45 % against 48%. In a couple of days we shall if the Socialists and Kostunica were able to stand against the Western pressure or not.

On 11 May 2008 12:58, bganon wrote:

"Lets hope we get the government we deserve."

He, he, he - that is the one thing you can be 100% certain of: People always get the government they deserve.

Whatever the outcome will be, I wish to congratulate everyone inside and outside of Serbia who has helped making the election a peaceful affair, and everyone who otherwise has taken part, as election officials or as voters expressing their democratic right to vote.

Every successful election is a reason for celebration!

The resutls speak for themselves: Tadic is 10% above Nikolic. It goes to show that there is always a reason to believe in the Serbs. They have obviously learned something, made the right decision - finally - and begun a step towards the world that they deserve. I am proud of my second home. Long live Serbia!

Ha ha ZK. The talk of a sore loser blaming electoral fraud when the people turn against you.
127 is not enough to secure a government especially with turncoat Kostunica about. And isn't one of the SRS seats Seselj - so SRS lose one seat from the outset. The only option is DS-LDP-SPS (although that isn't really ideal) or new elections.
That is of course hoping that LDP's vote doesn't just fall below the census in the final tally.
Of course Serbia could again bannish the main party from government (it seems a tradition). Bit DS have demolished SRS this time.

I think SRS-DSS-SPS will form a new government because nobody want to be with the DS-coalition.

Let us see how SPS decide because if they choose to follow DSS and join SRS that will be the new government and DS will be the big losers in the end. DS maybe won most votes but are far away from the majority needed, in my words they lost, if not SPS comes and save them.

Ziveli ZK, vencor, Jovan z, and other patriots sharing my happiness with this election!

No matter how the Tadichites and their puppet-masters in America try to spin these results, anyone who understands simple arithmetic will recognize that the Radicals+DSS+Socialists have won this election.

I am pleased to be able to make what I hope to be a final parting comment about Tadic and his gang: Gotovi su! (They're finished!)

John Bosnitch
Washington, DC
john.b@imcnews.com

An in depth analysis of this article raises some more serious questions!
Every political party campaigned on the platform of "Kosovo is Serbia" and "Serbia is Kosovo", this is what the politicians have told the people of Serbia. That they will never recognize Kosovo’s declaration of Independence!

Yet an analysis of the figures indicates otherwise. It has been quoted that in Kosovo 20.8% of the voters voted, considering that only about 8% of the current population of Kosovo are Serbian and factoring in a small margin for those that are under age and not eligible to vote, It is quite clear that the Serbian Politicians have not included the other 2 million or so people living in Kosovo, the same people they claim as their citizens and who they claim live in the sovereign boundaries of Serbia!!
Just think about what this important analysis really means, the Serbian politicians have conceded that Kosovo is no longer within the legal boundaries of Serbia and that they (as per Arthisaris plan) only have a claim against the Serbian population whom has been granted the option of dual citizenship.
The facts on this case are overwhelming and you cannot claim legal rights to a territory and its people when you do not provide for them in your elections!!
Well done Nikolic, Kostunica and Tadic, you have officially recognized the Independent Republic of Kosovo.

Legal - In any country, turnout is based on registered voters, and not on the overall population. As the Kosovo Albanians have not registered, and Serbia obviously could not even try to register them, they have not been included. Thus turnout is based on those who were actually registered and decided to vote.

By the way, using the same logic, would you be willing to accept that Pristina recognises the partition of Kosovo when Kosovo Serbs boycott the elections of the Kosovo Assembly?

@comment 24

Yes, an SRS/DSS/Socialist coalition is still possible, but it would lead to complete stagnation. The only objective of such a group would be to keep power away from the DS, not to build Serbia.

God Bless Tadic, and for those of you who were opposed to the DS, let's please move forward from these elections. It will be hard enough for the new govt to fight pressures from the outside let alone have to expend energy fighting on the inside. Let's instead focus the energy on how to move Serbia forward.

Samo Sloga Srbina Spasava

i really think our EUphiles here need some help with the math, look: 77+30+20 = 127. yes thats right, look, ill do it again...77 plus 30 plus 20 equals majority :)

DSS-DS is not a possibility this time around and Kostunica’s influence is diminished.

SPS will play the role of kingmaker this time.

Personally, I think its more realistic to expect SPS to go with SRS than DS.

ZK UK is right. I count 127 seats for SRS/DSS/NS/SPS to form a majority. Kostunica can't join DS now because if he does, then he looks rather stupid for calling for this election. I can't see the socialists joining with DS who were the people who threw them out and ignoring the SRS who were their allies before. Since the Western media is now jumping for joy over the DS result, you can be sure they will try to push UNMIK out of Kosovo and install EULEX. This will discredit the DS even further. Once the nationalists are in power, nobody can kick them out.

Good news!
Here are foirst results:
by CESID:

DS - 38,9%
SRS - 28,4%
DSS 11,6%
SPS - 8%
LDP -5,2%

ZK '...now celebrate the DS loss thinking they won? Talk about delusional.

Thank god the real winners know what's going on.'

Read again. And ask yourself who is delusional? DS came first in this election, they won the election. They are the real winners. So what on earth are you talking about?

What is not clear for you to understand about that?

I also object to your petty propaganda (that I note DSS have dropped) accusing me of selling Kosovo. It is pathetic of you to be so sour about the result.

There is still a possibility of a SRS/DSS/SPS government yes, but it is less likely. DS are firmly in the driving seat and can choose which partner they want.

As far as raw data is concerned, we all know SRS is going to come out on top, with DS closely following. The real outcome will be determined by:

1. The numnber of votes DSS gets.

2. The number of votes LDP gets.

3. The number of votes the minority parties get.

If the LDP and minority parties can eke out a percentage higher than DSS, DS will ask for form a coalition with them.

If, as predicted, DSS comes in third, the real jockeying for power will begin. I suspect DS will pull out all the stops for Kostunica again, and it remains to be seen whether he'll agree to a coalition, or whether he's already thrown his hat in with Nikolic.

Congratulations to Serbia and the Serbian people. Hold your head high and be proud. Time to start moving forward.
(ZK UK, 11 May 2008 23:01)

when do you come back to UK? standing shoulder by shoulder with your friends in Belgrade, as you announced here before, it has'nt brought the great victory you always predicted. waving hands from 4th floor of Hotel Balkan over Terazije! it's gonna be a long & happy night for us tonight :)

These aren't the actual results! They haven't been released yet, we won't know until tomorrow.

It said in the article that it was a sample of 1000 or so votes across Serbia. They won't have counted them all yet. London had it's election and we voted in local elections last weekend and it took until the end of the next day to count everything.

I hope whoever wins this is going to be good for the country!

Dear all,

This is good news for Serbia, good news for Kosova and good news for the Balkans and the good news for international community.

DS will listen to Western demands and accept carrots for few sticks.

This is the beginning of the end of Kosovo drama. DS will have to agree to EULEX, and subsequent Kosovo independence,(signs are already there with the signing of SAA -without Kosovo) in return for FDIs, jobs, joining EU and ending isolation.

Good luck to everyone.

Peace to all

Cheers

I'll say this one last time, yes there is still a chance that SRS can get in, but it is less likely. SPS has said it will consider the situation carefully and consult Kostunica first. They can either support the new government from the back benches or join the government, in which case LDP will support the government from the back benches.

You can use all the macho bravado in the world but it doesn't change reality. Remember how some of you were predicting meltdown for DS and that LDP would be below the census?

And now, the sex begins. Who will go to bed with whom? And when?
It will be interesting to see.

The fact that the DS has only 39% of the vote, suggests that they haven't won as they haven't attained 51% majority to rule. At this point, no one has won.

Good to see a moderate (or is really a huge) turnout,

In order to present the public with realistic voting figures it’s critical for the electoral commission to assess and confirm the figures, when the B92 report claims that just over 6 million people are eligible to vote they obviously haven’t done their calculations. The people of Montenegro have been included in the figures and no adjustment has been made for the people of Kosovo, I think you will find that the actual number of eligible voters is more like 4 million and this would then effect the percentage claimed as "voter turnout" based on this assumption it is quite clear that a lot more people have actually voted than the figures present. Serbia’s official records are based on the census carried out in 2003 and many things have changed since then.

Is this a technical error or an opportunity to manipulate the electorate by one side or the other, the voters in Serbia who took the time to vote deserve to be told the truth!

It would be an insult for the Serbian public to allow either of the parties to manipulate the figures of the electorate; the facts need to be put into perspective if the true results are to be achieved.

This maybe a good point for the team at B92 to follow up on!

On Friday May 9th Thaci met with two top Slovenian officials. In that meeting Thaci, talking about the Serbian elections today said that (paraphrasing) he hopes & supports Tadic and DS in victory today. Interesting that B92 left that out of yesterdays article.

Every one who votes for the DS, G17 and other "YELLOWS" is voting for the interests of Albanian separatists and their foreign sponsors, you are voting for the further separation of Serbia.

Go and vote Serbia!
(Zoran, 11 May 2008 18:07)

You're wrong ok, Thaqi said that because he's nice neighbour but if you think that this is the case then i wish you good luck, I personally think that no one in Kosova cares who wins and who loses in serbian elections, Kosova very soon will be another Slovenia or probably even better.

Results are in and Kustunica will not be the next PM regardless which camp wins the election. Socialists will be the king makers this time around, and they can go either way. If these results hold, the new government will be formed by DS+LDP and Socialist for a total of 137 seats ( about 55% chance this will happen) or SRS+ DDS+ Socialists for a total of 127 seats ( about 45% chance this will happen). This is bad news for Serbia: once again we see that the Serbian electorate is split right down the middle and these is no decisive winner. The new government will probably not form until mid Summer.

The City and Municipal elections are being held at their normal time - the Parliamentary elections were held at this date to coincide with them in order to boost turnout for the local elections and limit costs. With projected numbers as close as they are it will be a very lively 24 hours in Belgrade.

There must be some way out of here, said the joker to the thief, Theres too much confusion, I can't get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth.

No reason to get excited, the thief, he kindly spoke,
There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and i, we've been through that, and this is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.
R.Z.

Jan,

Good question. I guess the Serbs like to vote. The more the better.
If today's parlamentary election turns out undecided - 50/50 - than they could be elections in few months again.

"if you are right, then I hope we in the west are going to be sentenced for to stop at once pumping money in a country, which has not learned to stand on it's own feet yet."

Perhaps if this country was not bombed by NATO, there would not be need of pumping money,

Anyway I wish to Serbs good luck.... If your vote will resolve into blocking your path to EU, good for You.
(Martin (ČR), 11 May 2008 20:15)

yes, martin. desaster of ex-YU started with bombing. before that everything was absolutely okay, at least for you ... but anyway, Serbs voted today and results are surprising! once more the predictions of the majority in this forum was proved wrong. Serbia je clever!

Nothing really changed, did it?

It is big success for Tadic, however looks like pat now I have one optimistic forecast: Kostunica will take it into account the high percentage of Tadic's percentage and will form the new government with him, beeing powerfull enough to veto any potential step tovards Kosovo recognition.

CeSID is an NGO; RIK is better to source. According to RIK, DSS-NS have 37 seats, Radicals 80, SPS 25, ZES with 102, and LDP didn't pass the census. But yes, this article was published earlier and people were anxious for the results - so ok.

LDP will not enter in any kind of coalition with SPS! But, the fact is that DS, SPS plus minorities (even without Ugljanin) counts almost 130 seats, which is enough to form the government. Despite all the SPS "hard" talk, they love to be in the government and especially in lucrative management boards. So - DS, SPS plus minorities = new government!

I guess Serbia's future: it will enjoy a rogue/failed state status.
Welcome in Europe to the young and well educated Serbian people who will seek a better life.

A majority can be cobbled in the form of DSS/SRS/Socialists...

Otherwise back to the polls...!
(vencor, 11 May 2008 22:38)

yes! Kostunica as PM leading a Serbian government with SRS & Socalists. what a great idea!
a coalition of the loosers in these elections - does Serbia need that? and could you please predict, vencor, for how long such a government would last? I would say, such a coalition would implode already on June 16th :)

Will the 'free and democratic' western states accept the votes of Serbs in Kosovo considering that their dirty hands in Kosovo (Peter Theif) declared that he will not recognized the vote by kosovo serbs as legitimate.

If DS & co 'win', I expect the West not to complain about the Kosovo Serbs vote, yet if it is a knife edge, they will almost certainly try and claim that the Kosovo Serb vote should be excluded.

Either way, it is going to get very ugly and soon.

However you spin the out come, a bare majority by DS and co is hardly a mandate to make major strategic decisions with regards to serbia when basically the country is still split.

Will, for example, the DS run the government for only the 'pro west serbs' to the exculsion of the very large opposition (if the predicted results turn out to be accurate), or will he try to include as much of the opposition as possible.

Civil war is very unlikely in Serbia in any event, but ignoring half the Serb population with any gratuitous pro-western policies could well turn out to be quite dangerous.

I certainly won't be suprised if western leaders stick their oar in and really screw things up (as is their tradition).

With SPS, DSS/NS & SRS in minor opposition, the DS et al do NOT have a reasonable mandate to run westwards.

Dark clouds are ahead...

The article said:

"Citizens are electing 250 MPs to the new republic parliament, 120 deputies to the Vojvodina Assembly, as well as councilors to 24 city assemblies and 150 municipal assemblies."

It was the central government coalition that dissolved, right?

Why elections to the city assemblies and municipal assemblies too?

The articles says:

"The organization's Director Zoran Lučić told reporters this afternoon that the turnout percentage "so far is poor", lower that in the second round of presidential elections two months ago."

Not good, not good at all. DSS+SRS will win then.

And here is what the arm-chair experts at this site predicted (or hoped for?):

Who will form the next Serbian government?

The DS coalition alone = 278
The Radicals (SRS) alone = 287
The DS coalition and one minor party = 508
The SRS with the DSS = 798
The Radicals, DSS, and one minor party = 445
A different post-election coalition = 62
Don't know = 152

Every one who votes for the DS, G17 and other "YELLOWS" is voting for the interests of Albanian separatists and their foreign sponsors, you are voting for the further separation of Serbia.

Go and vote Serbia!
(Zoran, 11 May 2008 18:07)

And the winners are … Albanian separatists and western!!!

On 12 May 2008 00:17, Dave explained:

"The City and Municipal elections are being held at their normal time - the Parliamentary elections were held at this date to coincide with them (...)"

Thank you Dave.

Nothing changes in Belgade unfortunately.

Tadic has 103+ 13+ (7)= 116 or max 123

Seselj and Kostunica: 77+20+30+ (7)= 127 or max with teh minorities 134.

So again DS, DSS coalition tadic and Kostunica in cioalition excepet if Tadic don't succede to 'still' some MP from Kostunica and/or Seselj- without caring about the quality, something like Berlusconi who is in coalition with the worst that Italy has to offer but he 'won' the elections.

Dear Ben, you said that the situation in Serbia is somehow like the one in Italy: "something like Berlusconi who is in coalition with the worst that Italy has to offer but he 'won' the elections". I agree with your last statement, regarding the fact that who wins the elections shall govern but not about the first statement, because Berlusconi itself is the worst!!!!!

Well done Serbia,

FINALY, we might get some people who arent so brain washed.

We are all nationalist in our own way, but to have a nationalist pary running the country 'thats just wrong'

Next step opening of the Serbian embassy in Proshtina :)

On Friday May 9th Thaci met with two top Slovenian officials. In that meeting Thaci, talking about the Serbian elections today said that (paraphrasing) he hopes & supports Tadic and DS in victory today. Interesting that B92 left that out of yesterdays article.

Every one who votes for the DS, G17 and other "YELLOWS" is voting for the interests of Albanian separatists and their foreign sponsors, you are voting for the further separation of Serbia.

Go and vote Serbia!
(Zoran, 11 May 2008 18:07)

You're wrong ok, Thaqi said that because he's nice neighbour but if you think that this is the case then i wish you good luck, I personally think that no one in Kosova cares who wins and who loses in serbian elections, Kosova very soon will be another Slovenia or probably even better.

I hope DS wins as they can only differentiate relalism from phantacism. Otherwise it will be intesting to see this union with russia.it will be the first time in many many years that anybody has asked to join russia.Its funny these people talking about voting for serbia then talking about giving up sovernity to russia.

Consider it like this:
The West is on trial in Serbia today. (jjvanka, 11 May 2008 13:27)

if you are right, then I hope we in the west are going to be sentenced for to stop at once pumping money in a country, which has not learned to stand on it's own feet yet. I hope, Russia will give the money of her tax payers to Serbia then, and the money saved by the EU should be invested in the economical developement of it's own partner states.

Finally!

As alays in anglo-american parrot media, it´s an election between the dark forces of sulphur and the bright future-€U-leaning democrats.

They also seems to know the results in advance, a 50/50 race as it has been described. Half the country are evil peasants and the other half good and educated.

Well, that fantsy figure is not going to be self-fulfilling, not this time, but if it indeed does, Serbia dont deserve any better.

The article said:

"Citizens are electing 250 MPs to the new republic parliament, 120 deputies to the Vojvodina Assembly, as well as councilors to 24 city assemblies and 150 municipal assemblies."

It was the central government coalition that dissolved, right?

Why elections to the city assemblies and municipal assemblies too?

"if you are right, then I hope we in the west are going to be sentenced for to stop at once pumping money in a country, which has not learned to stand on it's own feet yet."

Perhaps if this country was not bombed by NATO, there would not be need of pumping money,

Anyway I wish to Serbs good luck.... If your vote will resolve into blocking your path to EU, good for You.
(Martin (ČR), 11 May 2008 20:15)

yes, martin. desaster of ex-YU started with bombing. before that everything was absolutely okay, at least for you ... but anyway, Serbs voted today and results are surprising! once more the predictions of the majority in this forum was proved wrong. Serbia je clever!

Every one who votes for the DS, G17 and other "YELLOWS" is voting for the interests of Albanian separatists and their foreign sponsors, you are voting for the further separation of Serbia.

Go and vote Serbia!
(Zoran, 11 May 2008 18:07)

And the winners are … Albanian separatists and western!!!

Very exciting! I hope Tadic gets tossed on his behind and
we get someone who says NO MORE to the EU games.Tadic will not even let people see what his deal with the devil says and he wants a vote on it. Nikolic all the way.

An in depth analysis of this article raises some more serious questions!
Every political party campaigned on the platform of "Kosovo is Serbia" and "Serbia is Kosovo", this is what the politicians have told the people of Serbia. That they will never recognize Kosovo’s declaration of Independence!

Yet an analysis of the figures indicates otherwise. It has been quoted that in Kosovo 20.8% of the voters voted, considering that only about 8% of the current population of Kosovo are Serbian and factoring in a small margin for those that are under age and not eligible to vote, It is quite clear that the Serbian Politicians have not included the other 2 million or so people living in Kosovo, the same people they claim as their citizens and who they claim live in the sovereign boundaries of Serbia!!
Just think about what this important analysis really means, the Serbian politicians have conceded that Kosovo is no longer within the legal boundaries of Serbia and that they (as per Arthisaris plan) only have a claim against the Serbian population whom has been granted the option of dual citizenship.
The facts on this case are overwhelming and you cannot claim legal rights to a territory and its people when you do not provide for them in your elections!!
Well done Nikolic, Kostunica and Tadic, you have officially recognized the Independent Republic of Kosovo.

Results are in and Kustunica will not be the next PM regardless which camp wins the election. Socialists will be the king makers this time around, and they can go either way. If these results hold, the new government will be formed by DS+LDP and Socialist for a total of 137 seats ( about 55% chance this will happen) or SRS+ DDS+ Socialists for a total of 127 seats ( about 45% chance this will happen). This is bad news for Serbia: once again we see that the Serbian electorate is split right down the middle and these is no decisive winner. The new government will probably not form until mid Summer.

A majority can be cobbled in the form of DSS/SRS/Socialists...

Otherwise back to the polls...!
(vencor, 11 May 2008 22:38)

yes! Kostunica as PM leading a Serbian government with SRS & Socalists. what a great idea!
a coalition of the loosers in these elections - does Serbia need that? and could you please predict, vencor, for how long such a government would last? I would say, such a coalition would implode already on June 16th :)

Congratulations to Serbia and the Serbian people. Hold your head high and be proud. Time to start moving forward.
(ZK UK, 11 May 2008 23:01)

when do you come back to UK? standing shoulder by shoulder with your friends in Belgrade, as you announced here before, it has'nt brought the great victory you always predicted. waving hands from 4th floor of Hotel Balkan over Terazije! it's gonna be a long & happy night for us tonight :)

@comment 24

Yes, an SRS/DSS/Socialist coalition is still possible, but it would lead to complete stagnation. The only objective of such a group would be to keep power away from the DS, not to build Serbia.

God Bless Tadic, and for those of you who were opposed to the DS, let's please move forward from these elections. It will be hard enough for the new govt to fight pressures from the outside let alone have to expend energy fighting on the inside. Let's instead focus the energy on how to move Serbia forward.

Samo Sloga Srbina Spasava

Jan,

Good question. I guess the Serbs like to vote. The more the better.
If today's parlamentary election turns out undecided - 50/50 - than they could be elections in few months again.

On Friday May 9th Thaci met with two top Slovenian officials. In that meeting Thaci, talking about the Serbian elections today said that (paraphrasing) he hopes & supports Tadic and DS in victory today. Interesting that B92 left that out of yesterdays article.

Every one who votes for the DS, G17 and other "YELLOWS" is voting for the interests of Albanian separatists and their foreign sponsors, you are voting for the further separation of Serbia.

Go and vote Serbia!

Well, as expected, it looks like the SRS/DSS/NS/SPS have enough seats to form a new government. 127 being one more than needed.

That is a great victory for Serbia's freedom and for the protection of Kosovo.

I am a little concerned about potential election fraud seeing the DS achieved 38.9%. That gain is a little unrealistic seeing they were at about 31% before the election.

I'd be interested to know who these independents represent (that control 7 seats).

Congratulations to Serbia and the Serbian people. Hold you head high and be proud. Time to start moving forward.

It is big success for Tadic, however looks like pat now I have one optimistic forecast: Kostunica will take it into account the high percentage of Tadic's percentage and will form the new government with him, beeing powerfull enough to veto any potential step tovards Kosovo recognition.

ZK '...now celebrate the DS loss thinking they won? Talk about delusional.

Thank god the real winners know what's going on.'

Read again. And ask yourself who is delusional? DS came first in this election, they won the election. They are the real winners. So what on earth are you talking about?

What is not clear for you to understand about that?

I also object to your petty propaganda (that I note DSS have dropped) accusing me of selling Kosovo. It is pathetic of you to be so sour about the result.

There is still a possibility of a SRS/DSS/SPS government yes, but it is less likely. DS are firmly in the driving seat and can choose which partner they want.

Dear all,

This is good news for Serbia, good news for Kosova and good news for the Balkans and the good news for international community.

DS will listen to Western demands and accept carrots for few sticks.

This is the beginning of the end of Kosovo drama. DS will have to agree to EULEX, and subsequent Kosovo independence,(signs are already there with the signing of SAA -without Kosovo) in return for FDIs, jobs, joining EU and ending isolation.

Good luck to everyone.

Peace to all

Cheers

I guess Serbia's future: it will enjoy a rogue/failed state status.
Welcome in Europe to the young and well educated Serbian people who will seek a better life.

Let us hope that the high turnout continues and that there is a clear result. It is vital for Serbia that the will of the people is firmly established. Then as long as the new government acts in the interests of the people all will be well. I am praying for Serbia today - my home from home. Good luck.

Well its hardly scientific but I did a straw poll of everybody I spoke to yesterday - everybody said they would vote - with the exception of a dissident friend from 1968 who has never voted.

I'm going to put my head on the chopping block and predict an unresolved result, with the radicals beating DS by a very thin margin. Negotiations will probably be protracted and limbo might last well into next week. There is even a real danger that another election might need to be held and a smaller chance that one of the sides will dispute the result.

Lets hope we get the government we deserve.

The resutls speak for themselves: Tadic is 10% above Nikolic. It goes to show that there is always a reason to believe in the Serbs. They have obviously learned something, made the right decision - finally - and begun a step towards the world that they deserve. I am proud of my second home. Long live Serbia!

Nothing really changed, did it?

Never have I been more happy to have made a wrong predictiono earlier (comment 15).

DS is leading by as much as 10%. This is a major surprise to so many people here, and we're certainly happier for the lot.

Heading down to Terazije now for the celebrations!!! :)

Ha ha ZK. The talk of a sore loser blaming electoral fraud when the people turn against you.
127 is not enough to secure a government especially with turncoat Kostunica about. And isn't one of the SRS seats Seselj - so SRS lose one seat from the outset. The only option is DS-LDP-SPS (although that isn't really ideal) or new elections.
That is of course hoping that LDP's vote doesn't just fall below the census in the final tally.
Of course Serbia could again bannish the main party from government (it seems a tradition). Bit DS have demolished SRS this time.

Not sure what you guys are celebrating. Looks like 40% of the vote is normal for the opposition. That's what the SRS achieved last time.

But from these preliminary results, the SRS/DSS/NS/SPS have enough to form the next government. That is the only possible coalition as nothing else is workable.

The DS lost power as soon as they signed the SAA and will not be returning to the next government. That much is fairly certain.

Lets see what the offical results bring.

These aren't the actual results! They haven't been released yet, we won't know until tomorrow.

It said in the article that it was a sample of 1000 or so votes across Serbia. They won't have counted them all yet. London had it's election and we voted in local elections last weekend and it took until the end of the next day to count everything.

I hope whoever wins this is going to be good for the country!

Some of these DS supporters seem delusional or don't understand elections.

To be clear, the SRS had more votes than the DS currently have in the previous two elections and still ended up in opposition.

You see, voters only had two options - one was a vote for Serbia (SRS/DSS/SPS/NS) or the other to sell Kosovo and join the EU (DS/LDP).

Now whoever has the most collective seats wins. Quite simple isn't it? If not, then you'll soon learn.

I really can't understand why DS supports would celebrate signing the SAA when it means nothing, celebrate Fiat signing an agreement based on the SAA when it won't be ratified and now celebrate the DS loss thinking they won? Talk about delusional.

Thank god the real winners know what's going on.

Well done Serbia,

FINALY, we might get some people who arent so brain washed.

We are all nationalist in our own way, but to have a nationalist pary running the country 'thats just wrong'

Next step opening of the Serbian embassy in Proshtina :)

tom, god bless you for that comment.
i voted pro serbia, dss. but any pro serbia party's fine, really.

On 11 May 2008 12:58, bganon wrote:

"Lets hope we get the government we deserve."

He, he, he - that is the one thing you can be 100% certain of: People always get the government they deserve.

Whatever the outcome will be, I wish to congratulate everyone inside and outside of Serbia who has helped making the election a peaceful affair, and everyone who otherwise has taken part, as election officials or as voters expressing their democratic right to vote.

Every successful election is a reason for celebration!

Legal - In any country, turnout is based on registered voters, and not on the overall population. As the Kosovo Albanians have not registered, and Serbia obviously could not even try to register them, they have not been included. Thus turnout is based on those who were actually registered and decided to vote.

By the way, using the same logic, would you be willing to accept that Pristina recognises the partition of Kosovo when Kosovo Serbs boycott the elections of the Kosovo Assembly?

Suffice to say I'm pleased at the result and the maturity shown by the Serbian people who have made some of their leaders look like the petty liars that they clearly are.

Interestingly SRS are screaming blue murder - losing gracefully has never been a good trait of these of theirs. They are activating their plan of accusing DS of irregularities - the problem being that DS are so far ahead it will not prove effective. God only knows what SRS had in mind had the result been closer. Would they have tried to provoke civil war?

Now Kostunica and DSS are climbing down and will consider being in a DS government. They are saying that this was a victory for Serbia and that it was good that there was no irregularities. They are also implying that some of their propaganda (on the SAA???) should be seen in context of the elections rather than a matter of principle. Thats right a weak DSS is a well behaved DSS. Sad but true it would seem.

In Tadic's victory speech he mentioned Kosovo upon a number of occasions which silences Serb critics that claimed that a Tadic victory would mean an excuse for DS to let an independent Kosovo come about.

So with all the rhetoric aside (not least from participants here who CLEARLY are not representative of Serbs, or do not bother to vote) what can we expect now?

DS can choose between SPS or DSS as either part of the government or as support from the back benches. The same goes for LDP. Either way DS holds the cards. There is an outside possibility that SRS / DSS / SPS may yet form a government but it is less likely.

In the end its like this DS and SRS net winner of these elections. SRS, DSS and LDP are the net losers. DSS are almost have the same amount of seats as LDP will. In normal countries parties that are punished at the ballot box have to think about getting rid of their leaders or changing their policies. Enough said.

LDP will not enter in any kind of coalition with SPS! But, the fact is that DS, SPS plus minorities (even without Ugljanin) counts almost 130 seats, which is enough to form the government. Despite all the SPS "hard" talk, they love to be in the government and especially in lucrative management boards. So - DS, SPS plus minorities = new government!

Consider it like this:
The West is on trial in Serbia today.

The articles says:

"The organization's Director Zoran Lučić told reporters this afternoon that the turnout percentage "so far is poor", lower that in the second round of presidential elections two months ago."

Not good, not good at all. DSS+SRS will win then.

Good to see a moderate (or is really a huge) turnout,

In order to present the public with realistic voting figures it’s critical for the electoral commission to assess and confirm the figures, when the B92 report claims that just over 6 million people are eligible to vote they obviously haven’t done their calculations. The people of Montenegro have been included in the figures and no adjustment has been made for the people of Kosovo, I think you will find that the actual number of eligible voters is more like 4 million and this would then effect the percentage claimed as "voter turnout" based on this assumption it is quite clear that a lot more people have actually voted than the figures present. Serbia’s official records are based on the census carried out in 2003 and many things have changed since then.

Is this a technical error or an opportunity to manipulate the electorate by one side or the other, the voters in Serbia who took the time to vote deserve to be told the truth!

It would be an insult for the Serbian public to allow either of the parties to manipulate the figures of the electorate; the facts need to be put into perspective if the true results are to be achieved.

This maybe a good point for the team at B92 to follow up on!

As far as raw data is concerned, we all know SRS is going to come out on top, with DS closely following. The real outcome will be determined by:

1. The numnber of votes DSS gets.

2. The number of votes LDP gets.

3. The number of votes the minority parties get.

If the LDP and minority parties can eke out a percentage higher than DSS, DS will ask for form a coalition with them.

If, as predicted, DSS comes in third, the real jockeying for power will begin. I suspect DS will pull out all the stops for Kostunica again, and it remains to be seen whether he'll agree to a coalition, or whether he's already thrown his hat in with Nikolic.

"if you are right, then I hope we in the west are going to be sentenced for to stop at once pumping money in a country, which has not learned to stand on it's own feet yet."

Perhaps if this country was not bombed by NATO, there would not be need of pumping money,

Anyway I wish to Serbs good luck.... If your vote will resolve into blocking your path to EU, good for You.

From my today perspective and after experiences with how is EU working, I would think twice about joining it....I really doubt if it is worth it even under normal circumstances......

Problem is that others do not see it and keep joining and joining:) All see just money from Brussels, but not negatives which are really many.....(unless you like if somebody try to organize your life in any possible manner......)

Legal, the Kosovo Albanian's haven't been on the Serbian electoral register for a number of years now as it is impossible for the Serbian authorities to keep the list up to date.

Good news!
Here are foirst results:
by CESID:

DS - 38,9%
SRS - 28,4%
DSS 11,6%
SPS - 8%
LDP -5,2%

Socialists, once led by Milosevic, got the support of eight percent of voters, slightly higher than predicted-

A majority can be cobbled in the form of DSS/SRS/Socialists...

Otherwise back to the polls...!

And here is what the arm-chair experts at this site predicted (or hoped for?):

Who will form the next Serbian government?

The DS coalition alone = 278
The Radicals (SRS) alone = 287
The DS coalition and one minor party = 508
The SRS with the DSS = 798
The Radicals, DSS, and one minor party = 445
A different post-election coalition = 62
Don't know = 152

"yes, martin. desaster of ex-YU started with bombing"

Of course not.....disaster happened when terrorist from UCK changed by some miracle to resistance.....

"There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold
And she's buying a staiway to heaven
And when she get's there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word you can get what you came for "

( The Led Zeppelin )
============================

In other words it's too early to celebrate anything. Most of the visiters here believe the results are in the favour of Tadic while I personally think he has lost with the approx 45 % against 48%. In a couple of days we shall if the Socialists and Kostunica were able to stand against the Western pressure or not.

Real figures may quite differ as the results to come from the province are usually a bit late. If so the DS 39% may be much closer to the predicted 31%. Otherwise Serbian preliminary polls worth nothing. How could they make a mistake about 25% instead of normal 2-3% ?

The City and Municipal elections are being held at their normal time - the Parliamentary elections were held at this date to coincide with them in order to boost turnout for the local elections and limit costs. With projected numbers as close as they are it will be a very lively 24 hours in Belgrade.

I think SRS-DSS-SPS will form a new government because nobody want to be with the DS-coalition.

Let us see how SPS decide because if they choose to follow DSS and join SRS that will be the new government and DS will be the big losers in the end. DS maybe won most votes but are far away from the majority needed, in my words they lost, if not SPS comes and save them.

Will the 'free and democratic' western states accept the votes of Serbs in Kosovo considering that their dirty hands in Kosovo (Peter Theif) declared that he will not recognized the vote by kosovo serbs as legitimate.

If DS & co 'win', I expect the West not to complain about the Kosovo Serbs vote, yet if it is a knife edge, they will almost certainly try and claim that the Kosovo Serb vote should be excluded.

Either way, it is going to get very ugly and soon.

However you spin the out come, a bare majority by DS and co is hardly a mandate to make major strategic decisions with regards to serbia when basically the country is still split.

Will, for example, the DS run the government for only the 'pro west serbs' to the exculsion of the very large opposition (if the predicted results turn out to be accurate), or will he try to include as much of the opposition as possible.

Civil war is very unlikely in Serbia in any event, but ignoring half the Serb population with any gratuitous pro-western policies could well turn out to be quite dangerous.

I certainly won't be suprised if western leaders stick their oar in and really screw things up (as is their tradition).

With SPS, DSS/NS & SRS in minor opposition, the DS et al do NOT have a reasonable mandate to run westwards.

Dark clouds are ahead...

Despite all the headlines and spin I read about a 'DS victory', this is anything but that. You see, despite all the interference by outsiders, the SAA signing scam, free visas, talk of 'isolation' and all other bribery by Solana's boys, the DS-Canak coalition still only could muster 103 seats. That is far from a majority. Even if they team up with the treasonous LDP (13 seats) and all other independents (7 seats), that still only gives them 123 seats - not a majority!
As for all this talk of the Socialists teaming up with the DS, that is veeery veeeery wishful thinking by Solana's boys! Do you honestly expect the Socialists to team up with the very same people who sent Milosevic to the Hague?? Think again.
The Socialists are far closer to the SRS and DSS, and will most likely form a coalition with them. 77 + 30 + 20 = 127 seats = a majority. It's really simple math, people.
Tadic and the rest of Solana's boys can pop their champagne all they want tonight, they are in for a rude hangover when they wake up :).
Cheers!
Kosovo je Srbija!

Bganon you couldn't be more wrong my friend..

the DS is the exact opposite from the "drivers seat"

the drivers seat belongs to SPS and DSS/NS... it looks as if the only possible solution would be a coalition of
SRS/DSS-NS/SPS-JS-PUPS will be possible or new elections.

I will bet about 75% certainty that SRS/DSS-NS/SPS-JS-PUPS will form the next government

The SRS has since Milosevic days had the most seats in parliament but they have not really won because they have never been apart of the ruling coalition... that will change


CCCC Serbia in Europe... ALL of it

And now, the sex begins. Who will go to bed with whom? And when?
It will be interesting to see.

Ziveli ZK, vencor, Jovan z, and other patriots sharing my happiness with this election!

No matter how the Tadichites and their puppet-masters in America try to spin these results, anyone who understands simple arithmetic will recognize that the Radicals+DSS+Socialists have won this election.

I am pleased to be able to make what I hope to be a final parting comment about Tadic and his gang: Gotovi su! (They're finished!)

John Bosnitch
Washington, DC
john.b@imcnews.com

CeSID is an NGO; RIK is better to source. According to RIK, DSS-NS have 37 seats, Radicals 80, SPS 25, ZES with 102, and LDP didn't pass the census. But yes, this article was published earlier and people were anxious for the results - so ok.

ZK UK is right. I count 127 seats for SRS/DSS/NS/SPS to form a majority. Kostunica can't join DS now because if he does, then he looks rather stupid for calling for this election. I can't see the socialists joining with DS who were the people who threw them out and ignoring the SRS who were their allies before. Since the Western media is now jumping for joy over the DS result, you can be sure they will try to push UNMIK out of Kosovo and install EULEX. This will discredit the DS even further. Once the nationalists are in power, nobody can kick them out.

i really think our EUphiles here need some help with the math, look: 77+30+20 = 127. yes thats right, look, ill do it again...77 plus 30 plus 20 equals majority :)

The fact that the DS has only 39% of the vote, suggests that they haven't won as they haven't attained 51% majority to rule. At this point, no one has won.

DSS-DS is not a possibility this time around and Kostunica’s influence is diminished.

SPS will play the role of kingmaker this time.

Personally, I think its more realistic to expect SPS to go with SRS than DS.

There must be some way out of here, said the joker to the thief, Theres too much confusion, I can't get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth.

No reason to get excited, the thief, he kindly spoke,
There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and i, we've been through that, and this is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.
R.Z.

On 12 May 2008 00:17, Dave explained:

"The City and Municipal elections are being held at their normal time - the Parliamentary elections were held at this date to coincide with them (...)"

Thank you Dave.

I'll say this one last time, yes there is still a chance that SRS can get in, but it is less likely. SPS has said it will consider the situation carefully and consult Kostunica first. They can either support the new government from the back benches or join the government, in which case LDP will support the government from the back benches.

You can use all the macho bravado in the world but it doesn't change reality. Remember how some of you were predicting meltdown for DS and that LDP would be below the census?

Nothing changes in Belgade unfortunately.

Tadic has 103+ 13+ (7)= 116 or max 123

Seselj and Kostunica: 77+20+30+ (7)= 127 or max with teh minorities 134.

So again DS, DSS coalition tadic and Kostunica in cioalition excepet if Tadic don't succede to 'still' some MP from Kostunica and/or Seselj- without caring about the quality, something like Berlusconi who is in coalition with the worst that Italy has to offer but he 'won' the elections.

Dear Ben, you said that the situation in Serbia is somehow like the one in Italy: "something like Berlusconi who is in coalition with the worst that Italy has to offer but he 'won' the elections". I agree with your last statement, regarding the fact that who wins the elections shall govern but not about the first statement, because Berlusconi itself is the worst!!!!!