New government must be formed by Sept. 5

The legal deadline for Serbia's new government to be sworn in is September 5, while the new parliament must hold its first session by June 9. 250 MPs were elected in the parliamentary ballot on May 6, while the country's new president, Tomslav Nikolic, was elected in the second round of presidential elections voting on May 20. New government must be formed by Sept. 5 Nikolic will begin his five-year term in office once he takes the oath before the Serbian parliament. Outgoing Parliament Speaker and acting President Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic said today a date for that parliament session would be known after her meeting with Nikolic next Monday. It will also be known then whether the session will be used to verify the new parliament members' mandates as well, she added. Djukic-Dejanovic told Tanjug she had agreed with Nikolic to wait for the final results of the second round of the presidential election, which should be announced on Thursday at the latest, and then hold a meeting. Djukic-Dejanovic explained that Nikolic could take the oath before the present parliament or once the new members' mandates are verified. Nikolic, who was the candidate of the Serb Progressive Party, won the second round of the presidential election on Sunday by beating Boris Tadic, the candidate of the Democratic Party, and the country's president for two terms since 2004, who in April resigned in order to force early presidential elections. The Electoral Commission (RIK) on Monday said it had processed 99.34 percent of the votes cast in the runoff on Sunday, and that Nikolic won 49.55 percent, while Tadic received 47.3 percent. Tanjug

New government must be formed by Sept. 5

Nikolić will begin his five-year term in office once he takes the oath before the Serbian parliament.

Outgoing Parliament Speaker and acting President Slavica Đukić-Dejanović said today a date for that parliament session would be known after her meeting with Nikolić next Monday.

It will also be known then whether the session will be used to verify the new parliament members' mandates as well, she added.

Đukić-Dejanović told Tanjug she had agreed with Nikolić to wait for the final results of the second round of the presidential election, which should be announced on Thursday at the latest, and then hold a meeting.

Đukić-Dejanović explained that Nikolić could take the oath before the present parliament or once the new members' mandates are verified.

Nikolić, who was the candidate of the Serb Progressive Party, won the second round of the presidential election on Sunday by beating Boris Tadić, the candidate of the Democratic Party, and the country's president for two terms since 2004, who in April resigned in order to force early presidential elections.

The Electoral Commission (RIK) on Monday said it had processed 99.34 percent of the votes cast in the runoff on Sunday, and that Nikolić won 49.55 percent, while Tadic received 47.3 percent.