"The EU Presidency noted with concern yesterday's election of the deputy chairman of the Serbian Radical Party, Tomislav Nikolic, as Speaker of the Serbian Parliament. To date, the Serbian Radical Party has always been strongly opposed to Serbia forging closer ties with the European Union," the EU Presidency said in a statement posted on its website on Wednesday.
"The EU Presidency calls on all reform-oriented parties in Belgrade to use the period until 15 May envisaged under Serbia's constitution to form a democratic, majority-based government which reaffirms the pro-European orientation of Serbian policy," the statement said.