Presidential elections to be held on May 6

Serbian President and ruling DS party leader Boris Tadic has decided to resign and thus enable for early presidential elections to be held on May 6. This decision is expected to be officially announced on Wednesday, when Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic will schedule the voting for May 6. Presidential elections to be held on May 6 Last month, parliamentary and local elections were scheduled for the same day. Tadic's mandate would have expired in late 2012, but B92 learned unofficially on Tuesday afternoon that he made the decision to "cut it short". Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic will take over as Serbia's acting president as soon as Tadic resigns. Tadic informed his party that "state money will be saved" if elections were organized only once instead of twice this year, and that this would benefit the citizens. Some analysts, however, see this move as his "taking the responsibility" for the policy he has led, and also as Tadic's desire to, by participating directly, help his Democrats - currently trailing behind the opposition Progressives (SNS) in the polls - as they fight to win parliament seats. Tadic's main rival in the presidential race will be SNS leader Tomislav Nikolic. SPS President Ivica Dacic, SVM leader Istvan Pastor, and Milan Panic, representing Mladjan Dinkic's URS party, are also expected to run. SPO leader Vuk Draskovic has said that he will put forward the proposal for LDP President Cedomir Jovanovic to take part in the presidential vote. The Radicals (SRS) will nominate Aleksandar Martinovic, while the the DSS, led by Vojislav Kostunica, "did not wish to discuss concrete names", said our reporter. The Dveri movement is also expected to participate with their candidate. The first round of voting will be held on May 6, and in case none of the candidates win a majority of votes, a runoff between the two most successful candidates will be organized two weeks after. Tadic, who will now seek his third term in office, was reelected in 2008 when he defeated Tomislav Nikolic in the second round by winning 50.31 percent of votes, against Nikolic's 47.97 percent. The president's term lasts five years in Serbia. Boris Tadic (Tanjug, file) B92

Presidential elections to be held on May 6

Last month, parliamentary and local elections were scheduled for the same day.

Tadić's mandate would have expired in late 2012, but B92 learned unofficially on Tuesday afternoon that he made the decision to "cut it short".

Speaker Đukić-Dejanović will take over as Serbia's acting president as soon as Tadić resigns.

Tadić informed his party that "state money will be saved" if elections were organized only once instead of twice this year, and that this would benefit the citizens.

Some analysts, however, see this move as his "taking the responsibility" for the policy he has led, and also as Tadić's desire to, by participating directly, help his Democrats - currently trailing behind the opposition Progressives (SNS) in the polls - as they fight to win parliament seats.

Tadić's main rival in the presidential race will be SNS leader Tomislav Nikolić.

SPS President Ivica Dačić, SVM leader Ištvan Pastor, and Milan Panić, representing Mlađan Dinkić's URS party, are also expected to run.

SPO leader Vuk Drašković has said that he will put forward the proposal for LDP President Čedomir Jovanović to take part in the presidential vote.

The Radicals (SRS) will nominate Aleksandar Martinović, while the the DSS, led by Vojislav Koštunica, "did not wish to discuss concrete names", said our reporter. The Dveri movement is also expected to participate with their candidate.

The first round of voting will be held on May 6, and in case none of the candidates win a majority of votes, a runoff between the two most successful candidates will be organized two weeks after.

Tadić, who will now seek his third term in office, was reelected in 2008 when he defeated Tomislav Nikolić in the second round by winning 50.31 percent of votes, against Nikolić's 47.97 percent.

The president's term lasts five years in Serbia.