Serbs vote to banish the ghost of Milosevic

SERBIAN voters went to the polls yesterday to choose a new president from among 11 candidates, all of whom have promised to end the political and economic limbo left behind by Slobodan Milosevic.

The election is the first in Serbia, Yugoslavia's larger republic, since the former leader was ousted in a popular revolt in 2000.

Both the leading candidates Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and the country's deputy prime minister, Miroljub Labus have pledged to move closer to the West. But a strong showing by ultra-nationalists would indicate Serbia has yet to move past Milosevic's rule.