Tadic wins EU backing as pressure mounts in Serbia

THE narrow re-election victory of Serbia’s pro-West president, Boris Tadic, drew EU applause yesterday, but piled pressure on an unstable government in Belgrade as Kosovo prepares to declare independence.

In a result likely to nudge Serbia closer to integration with the European Union, the electoral commission gave Tadic 50.6% of Sunday’s vote against 47.7% for pro-Russian ultra-nationalist Tomislav Nikolic.

The biggest loser was conservative nationalist prime minister Vojislav Kostunica, whose party is the weaker partner in an uneasy ruling coalition with Tadic’s Democratic Party. Kostunica refused to endorse Tadic in the election, because the president would not take a tougher line against EU support for Kosovo’s decision to break away from Serbia.