Serb government dissolved

The coalition government of Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica was formally dissolved yesterday, opening the way for an early parliamentary election.

The decision was taken at a brief Cabinet session following Kostunica's announcement on Saturday that the government could not continue in office owing to deep disunity over defending Kosovo versus pursuing a place in the European Union.

"The government did not have a united and common policy any more," a statement said, "and this kept it from performing its basic constitutional function, to define and lead Serbia's politics."