BELGRADE, Nov 17 (Hina) - The result of the presidential election in Serbia is "dramatic", and the fact that Serbia again failed to choose a president and the ratio of votes gained by DOS candidates Dragoljub Micunovic and Radical
Tomislav Nikolic will affect the country's international position, Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic said on Monday.
BELGRADE, Nov 17 (Hina) - The result of the presidential election in
Serbia is "dramatic", and the fact that Serbia again failed to
choose a president and the ratio of votes gained by DOS candidates
Dragoljub Micunovic and Radical Tomislav Nikolic will affect the
country's international position, Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic said on Monday. #L#
"I think the first reaction in the world will be that of fear of
radicalisation in Serbia (...). Citizens of Serbia must realise
that what has happened poses a great challenge to social peace, the
economic stability and the future. That's why it's very important
for the results of parliamentary elections to be substantially
different," Svilanovic told B92 radio.
Sunday's vote was the third consecutive failed attempt to elect a
president in Serbia. Its failure was due to a low voter turnout,
which was far below the legal requirement of 50 per cent.
The Serbian Radical Party candidate Tomislav Nikolic won 46.9 per
cent of the vote, while the candidate of the DOS (Democratic
Opposition of Serbia) coalition, Dragutin Micunovic, gained 35.4
per cent.
Deputy Prime Minister Zarko Korac said that the results of the
election were more dramatic than presented by analysts. "The
results show a substantial rise of the Radicals and the apathy of
the democratic electorate," he said.
"If the Radicals are an alternative to the present government, then
Serbia is entering a dangerous phase of development," Korac told
B92 radio, adding that "those in power have received a clear message
that something is wrong with their electorate."
Korac said that if the same logic were to be repeated at early
parliamentary elections, the Radical Party might become a leading
party in parliament despite the fact that its leader, Vojislav
Seselj, was in The Hague answering for war crimes.
The League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina on Sunday reiterated
its demand from late 2000 that the Serbian Radical Party be banned,
saying it was "the only solution to rising fascism in Serbia".
"Owing to the tolerance of the government in Belgrade, we once paid
in blood the price of persecution, bombing and mobilisation, and we
will not let this happen to us ever again," the party said in a
statement.
(hina) vm sb