The campaign for Serbia's parliamentary and municipal elections closed on Friday with the main protagonists accusing each other of treason and lies. Around 6.7 million eligible voters will elect 250 members of parliament on Sunday and local assemblies in 170 municipalities.But according to latest surveys the outcome will be very tight, with nationalist Serbian Radical Party less than two percentage points ahead of president Boris TadicÂ’s Democratic Party.
A survey published by the Factor Plus agency just before the election blackout imposed on Thursday night, gave the SRS 37.3 per cent, followed by TadicÂ’s Democrats with 35.9 per cent.
Prime minister Vojislav Kostunica was third with only 11 per cent, but analysts said he will nevertheless hold the key to the new government.
Only two other parties are expected to satisfy the required five per cent threshold, the Socialist Party of Serbia of former president Slobodan Milosevic with 5.4 per cent and the Liberal Democratic Party of Cedomir Jovanovic with 6 per cent.
The main election battle has been fought between Tadic and Kostunica, whose “democratic coalition” collapsed in March over breakaway Kosovo province and European integration, which prompted early elections. Although both Tadic and Kostunica oppose Kosovo 's recent independence, Tadic insists Serbia should proceed with the EU membership bid, while Kostunica wants Kosovo to be recognised as a part of Serbia.
In what is predicted to be a tight finish to a bitter election campaign, observers say anti-Tadic forces are unlikely to get a two-thirds majority, but Kostunica and Nikolic are in a good position to form a new government with the support of the socialists.
Kostunica has carefully avoided declaring himself in favor of any coalition, but analysts said it was almost unthinkable that he would again support Tadic after the accusations and insults exchanged between the two leaders.