BELGRADE, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Voters went to the polls in Serbia on Sunday in parliamentary and local elections seen as a referendum on the country's integration into the European Union (EU).

    The polls opened at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and will close at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT). There are some 6.75 million registered voters who would choose from 22 parties and coalition lists with 3,137 candidates.

A traditionally dressed Slovak-minority woman reads her ballot at a polling station in the village of Stara Pazova near Belgrade May 11, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The elections were called in March when the fragile ruling coalition of President Boris Tadic's Democratic Party (DS) and nationalist Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's Serbian Democratic Party (DSS) collapsed in a row over ties with the EU after most member states of the 27-nation bloc recognized Kosovo's independence.

    The ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on Feb. 17 and has been recognized by some 40 countries including the United States and most EU member states. Serbia and its traditional ally Russia oppose it.

    The nationalists, represented by the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) led by Tomislav Nikolic and the coalition of DSS and New Serbia (NS) rallying around Kostunica, want closer ties with Russia and strongly oppose the secession of Kosovo from Serbia.

    They are against Serbia's further integration with the EU unless Western nations retract their recognition of the breakaway province.

    The pro-Western bloc, the coalition "For a European Serbia" with Tadic at the helm, favors speedy integration with the EU.

    Equally opposed to the independence of Kosovo, it believes EU membership would strengthen Serbia in the fight to keep Kosovo.

    The nationalists are buoyed by the widespread anger over Western support for the independence of Kosovo which is viewed by Serbs as the cradle of their culture, history and Orthodox Christian religion.

A Serb woman casts her vote during general elections at a polling station in southern Sernian town of Nis, some 250 km (155 miles) from Belgrade May 11, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Meanwhile, the pro-Western forces could gain points by the signing of the pre-membership Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU on April 29, although the deal's implementation remains frozen until Serbia fulfills its obligation to hand over war crimes fugitives from the 1992-95 war in Bosnia, including wartime Bosnia Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his army commander Ratko Mladic.

    Latest polls prior to the election showed the two top runners -- the SRS and coalition of pro-Western parties -- would get around one third of the votes each, with the SRS slightly ahead.

    Since neither bloc is unlikely to get the majority needed to form a government, nationalist Kostunica, forecast to win about 12percent of the votes, could once again hold the position of kingmaker.

    Voting will be monitored by a dozen international organizations including the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Central Electoral Commission of the Russian Duma, the Russian Public Institute of Electoral Law, and the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States.



Serbia to hold parliamentary, local elections on Sunday

   BELGRADE, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Serbians will go to the polls on Sunday in crucial parliamentary and local elections which are portrayed as a referendum on the country's integration into the European Union. Following are the basic facts and general information about the upcoming elections. Full story