BELGRADE (AFP) — Serbia moved closer Tuesday to clinching a Western-oriented government after a long political crisis, thanks to an unlikely union of pro-Europeans and the Socialists of late strongman Slobodan Milosevic.
The former foes were set to confirm their partnership by voting for a Socialist candidate as parliamentary speaker, ending months of uncertainty after the government collapsed following Kosovo's independence.
In a break from its war-tarnished past under Milosevic, the Socialist Party (SPS) voted Monday to spurn nationalists and instead forge a government with the pro-European camp headed by President Boris Tadic's Democratic Party.
European Union enlargement chief Olli Rehn expressed relief at the developments, saying they meant there was a "real chance" for Serbia to have a truly pro-European government.
"We have long been looking forward to seeing a democratic European reform oriented government in Serbia and it will be very important for serving European perspectives to which we are fully committed," said Rehn.
The Socialists began talks with the pro-European bloc on Saturday, when negotiations broke down with outgoing nationalist Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and the ultra-nationalist Radical Party six weeks after early general elections.
"It was a difficult decision but we decided unanimously to support forming the government with the coalition led by the Democratic Party," SPS leader Ivica Dacic said on Monday.
Dacic, 42, who was spokesman of the Socialists during most of the Milosevic era, said the shape of the cabinet was yet to be agreed, but added the future prime minister would come from the ranks of Tadic's party.
The parliament began a debate later on Tuesday, but the session was adjourned ahead of a vote for the Socialists' Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic as speaker.
Her election, now expected to happen on Wednesday, would open the way for the Serbian president to offer a mandate for premier.
Among those tipped to fill the top post are outgoing Finance Minister Mirko Cvetkovic or Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, according to various reports.
The outgoing Kostunica government, an uneasy year-old coalition of his DSS and Tadic's Democrats, fell apart in early March because of a dispute about EU ties after most of the 27-nation bloc recognised Kosovo's independence.
Since its seceded from Serbia four months ago, Kosovo, an ethnic Albanian-majority territory that most Serbs consider their historic heartland, has been recognised by the United States and 20 EU members.
Despite fears of a nationalist backlash over Kosovo, the Tadic-led "For a European Serbia" coalition won most votes at the May 11 elections, garnering 102 mandates in the 250-seat parliament, well ahead of the Radicals' 78 seats.
But no party was able to form a government without the Socialists and its 20 deputies.
The incoming government is expected to secure its majority with the support of seven lawmakers who represent minorities, including four for ethnic Hungarians, two for Muslims and one for ethnic Albanians.
It will also be able to count on the support of 13 deputies from the Liberal Democatic Party of Cedomir Jovanovic, a former ranking official in the Democratic Party who negotiated the 2001 arrest of Milosevic.
Milosevic, the former autocratic president, died five years later while being tried for war crimes in The Hague.
But in announcing the Socialists' decision to enter into a government with the Democrats, Dacic indicated the move was an opportunity for a fresh start to turn the SPS into a modern, left-wing party.
"This is a great comeback for the Socialist Party, a chance for a new beginning and for us to prove we can do better than the others," he told reporters.
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