Brussels, 30/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - Before the full outcome of the Serbian general election of Sunday 28 December's was known, EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, commented on Monday afternoon that the elections were conducted in a peaceful manner with 'significant participation of the population. Given the country's difficult phase of transition at the present time, this in itself constitutes a welcome sing of the consolidation of Serbian democracy… The extremist nationalist forces, while strengthened as a result of the elections, will not be able to form a government. I am therefore confident that the necessary basis exists for a relaunch of the reform efforts, for further progress towards Europe and for a continuation of the successful policy of good-neighbourliness. I appeal to all democratic forces to work together in order to ensure that a new government based on a clear and strong Europe reform agenda can be formed rapidly. The EU will give its full support to such a government.'
Comments by international observers of the Serbian elections were also relatively positive, although Murat Mercan, Head of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly's delegation to the International Election Observation Mission said three candidate lists were led by indicted war criminals. Nikolai Vulchanov, Head of the OSCE Office for Democratic Relations and Human Rights, said 'Transparency needs to be enhanced to allow voters to know which candidates they are voting for'. Ihor Ostash, Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, said "these elections were another attempt to consolidate democracy in Serbia and contribute to its further integration into European structures. W welcome the relatively high participation and that the voters had a genuine choice, as contesting parties and coalitions came from across the political spectrum.'
In Sunday's elections, the extreme nationalist Radical Party of Serbia got the highest vote with 27.3% of votes and 81 seats, although it is not able to form a government alone. It will probably be difficult for the democratic parties to form a coalition.