(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-13 07:38

BELGRADE -- The official preliminary results of Sunday's parliamentary elections in Serbia have reaffirmed the victory of the pro-Western bloc in the Balkan country.

The Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) released on Monday that, on the basis of 95.16 percent of processed votes, the pro-Western Coalition for a European Serbia headed by President Boris Tadic won 38.75 percent of the vote, translating into 102 seats in the next parliament, one seat less than the projections by an independent pollster a few hours after the Sunday vote ended.

Tomislav Nikolic's Serbian Radical Party trails with 29.22 percent, or 77 parliamentary seats. The coalition of Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and New Serbia (NS) with nationalist caretaker Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica at the helm got 11.34 percent, or 30 seats. Parties gathered around Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) garnered 7.57 percent, or 20 seats and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 5.30 percent, or 13 seats.

Among minority parties, the Bosniak List for a European Sandzakled by Sulejman Ugljanin collected 0.92 percent, or two seats; the Hungarian Coalition 1.86 percent, or 4 seats, and the Albanian Coalition of Presevo Valley 0.39 percent, or one seat.

61.06 percent of some 6.75 million registered voters cast their ballots in Sunday's elections, seen as a referendum on the country's EU integration.

While neither contender got the simple majority necessary to form a government, i.e. 126 seats within the 250-seat parliament, a delicate scenario is emerging.

Tadic's bloc could not be assured of a government formed. Any alliance who can muster that simple majority will be conferred with power.

If SRS joins forces with the DSS-NS coalition and SPS, they could manage 127 seats, just enough to throw them into power.

The elections were called when the fragile ruling coalition of Tadic's Democratic Party (DS) and DSS collapsed in a row over ties with the European Union after most member states of the 27-nationbloc recognized Kosovo's independence.

The ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on Feb. 17 and has been recognized by some 40countries including the United States and most EU member states. Serbia and its traditional ally Russia oppose it.

The nationalists, represented by SRS and DSS, want closer ties with Russia and strongly oppose the secession of Kosovo. The pro-western bloc, on the other hand, favors speedy Integration with the EU.