Serbs Choose the West

The idea of “past versus future” has resonated amongst the Serbs, as they recently chose President Boris Tadic’s pro-Western party in parliamentary elections—indicating a wish to move forward, rather than backward. Even nationalistic Serbs that many expected to vote for Kostunica’s radical party, mainly in favor of looking towards Russia as an ally, voted in favor of a pro-western party in order to increase connections with the European Union. Although there is still a chance that the nationalists (at 28% of votes) could cooperate in a coalition with Kostunica’s Democratic Party (at 11%) to form a majority, it is more likely that Tadic’s Western party (39%) will create a minority administration or a coalition with other minor parties.

Since Tadic came into presidential office in January, he has worked with the EU to reduce restrictions on Serbs wishing to travel to EU countries. But the oppositional Kostunica party has labeled Tadic a “traitor” in not holding on to Kosovo more tightly—a condition that Tadic does not feel is worth forfeiting closer ties with the EU. Yet in reference to keeping Kosovo as part of Serbia, Tadic maintains “We will continue to fight that diplomatically.”