Serbian Nationalists Win Votes - Political Forum

CHUQ · 01-22-2007, 05:16 AM

This article is about the latest election in Serbia and the super nationalist are gaining strength. Will this start the ethnic crap again?

BELGRADE (Reuters) - The hardline Radical Party attracted most support in Serbia's general election, dashing Western hopes the nation blamed for a decade of war in the 1990s would finally turn its back on nationalism.

However, there was no certainty the Radicals, who won 28 percent of the vote on Sunday, could form a government.

The result cast a pall over
European Union and United States expectations they would have a progressive Serb government to deal with when the future of breakaway
Kosovo is decided and Serbia's EU membership hopes, currently frozen, are re-assessed

Serbia's Radical Party wins 28 percent of vote - Yahoo! News

CHUQ · 01-22-2007, 05:17 AM

More develope,ments on the election.

BELGRADE, Serbia -- The United States has moved troops to northern Kosovo to protect the Serbian minority ahead of elections today in Serbia, where nationalists have pledged to prevent the province's ethnic-Albanian majority from obtaining independence.
Two U.S. military platoons, accompanied by one Austrian and one Georgian platoon were deployed in late December for a month to a NATO camp at Leposavic, close to the border with Serbia, Kosovo's peacekeepers' headquarters announced. The redeployment was part of NATO's plan for rapid intervention aimed at providing security for about 100,000 Serbs living in Kosovo.

U.S. troops to protect Serbs in Kosovo*-*World*-*The Washington Times, America's Newspaper

Brother Oz · 01-22-2007, 08:27 AM

There is still raging hatred between the different ethno-religious groups, so this doesn't really surprise me. At least they only won 28% of the vote.

Voland · 01-22-2007, 09:03 AM

Yes, and therefore it is very unlikely they will be able to govern. The parties of president Tadic and prime minister Kostunica can make a majority together, and in spite of their relations not beeing extremely friendly, they most likely won´t miss their chance to be in the governement.
Also these elections seem to show that the serbian population is more more concerned with relations to the EU and the economy than with the final status of Kosovo. Actually an encouraging sign...

CHUQ · 01-23-2007, 04:24 AM

Serbs scrambling to form a coalition to block success of nationalists.

Boris Tadic, Serbia's president, urged pro-democratic parties to quickly form a coalition government on Monday, in a bid to limit gains made by ultra-nationalists in parliamentary elections.

The appeal comes before a UN envoy is expected to deliver recommendations on whether the southern Serbian province of Kosovo should become independent.

The report is expected to recommend a form of conditional independence for Kosovo, which would anger ultra-nationalists who won Sunday's elections.

Al Jazeera English - Europe

Brother Oz · 01-23-2007, 12:15 PM

Won? They got 28% of the vote.

CHUQ · 02-05-2007, 05:39 AM

Tensions are running high--possible probs for Europe's unfinished war.

MITROVICA, Kosovo: Thuggish Serbian "bridge watchers" still maintain their vigil on the north side of the Ibar River here, ready to punish any ethnic Albanian who dares to cross the unofficial boundary between Serbian and ethnic Albanian territory in Europe's unfinished war.

Kosovo, still officially a province of Serbia, is bitterly divided between Serbian enclaves, including a large chunk of the north, and the rest of the territory, which is overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian. Now, as the United Nations nudges Kosovo toward what it calls "final status" and Belgrade calls independence, many of northern Kosovo's Serbs are threatening to break away.

Kosovo's independence drive kindles ethnic fears - International Herald Tribune

Brother Oz · 02-05-2007, 07:05 AM

I hope they do break away. The northern bit which is full of Serbs should become part of Serbia, and Albanian bit should be independant. I'd say join up with Albania, but that really wouldn't be good.

CHUQ · 02-05-2007, 07:28 AM

In the past, I got the impression that all was ok in the area, but since I joied the International Crisis Group, I have learned it is definately an "unfinished war".

SubZero · 02-09-2007, 12:50 PM

I do believe that our Serbian friends will soon live in peace...The serbian's pride was broken...So people want to change their society and for this purpose they voted in such way....hm, the time of serbian pride is not over yet...They will be strong...I hope...