PRAGUE: The Serbian president, Boris Tadic, said he would call early elections after the prime minister announced that he was planning to dissolve his governing coalition, which would have effectively toppled the government. The elections could help determine whether Serbia embraces the West or returns to virulent nationalism.
Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said Saturday that he would ask the government to resign because he could no longer govern in a coalition with Tadic's pro-Western Democratic Party. Kostunica has accused the president of forsaking Serbia's claim to Kosovo. Tadic opposes Kosovo's independence but argues that Belgrade should forge closer ties with the European Union and the United States, regardless of the province's status.
Kosovo declared independence Feb. 17, but Serbs consider the territory their medieval heartland.
Kostunica said that he would convene a session of the government Monday that would propose to dissolve Parliament and call elections for May 11. He said the government would continue in a reduced capacity until elections were held.
\"The government, which does not have united policies, cannot function,\" Kostunica said. \"There was no united will to clearly and loudly state that Serbia can continue its path toward the EU only with Kosovo.\"
Analysts said Kostunica would probably try to team up with the Radical Party of Tomislav Nikolic, a nationalist who has sought to exploit Serbs' anger over Kosovo's independence by arguing that a Serbia shorn of Kosovo should reject the West. The Radical Party has the most seats in the Serbian Parliament.
Though Kostunica and Nikolic have clashed in the past, they have recently come together over the Kosovo issue; both lashed out at the West at mass demonstrations this month in Belgrade.
Political analysts said Tadic and the Democratic Party would face a challenge trying to rally support behind Serbia's pro-Western parties. \"This upcoming election will be crucial to the future of Serbia because it will determine if Serbia goes back to the isolationism of the Milosevic years or chooses a European future,\" said Zoran Dogramadziev, a Serbian commentator.
Serbs blocked from borderThe Serbian police have stopped hundreds of former army reservists from going to the border with Kosovo, The Associated Press reported from Kursumlija, Serbia.
Former Serbian fighters from the Kosovo war had planned to remove a border sign saying \"Republic of Kosovo\" at the Merdare border crossing. But hundreds of police officers blocked the former reservists from leaving the town of Kursumlija. Officers scuffled with the protesters, but there were no serious incidents.
The demonstrators were dispersing but pledged to return Monday.