Sunday’s elections in Serbia produced a victory for pro-Western parties led by Boris Tadic, though according to Deutsche Welle the fragmented nature of Serbian politics “could still produce a nationalist, anti-Western government.” It seems the Socialist Party, once the party of great Serbian humanitarians such as Slobodan Milosovic, are the big winners of this election, securing 20 seats in the Serbian parliament and effectively making themselves kingmaker. Essentially, the Socialists can decide to side with either the pro-Western forces of Tadic or side with The Radical Party, the natioanlist party led by Tomislav Nikolic. Whoever the Socialists side with will have a coalition majority in parliament.
Currently Boris Tadic is in negotiations with socialist leader Ivica Dacic over forming a coalition government, but Dacic remains uncommitted. Let us hope that the Socialist Party comes to its sense and does what is best for Serbians, and that is siding with the pro-Western party, and forming a pro-Western agenda that will economically intergrate Serbia with the rest of Europe. It is my opinion that only by bringing Serbia into the Western camp can the nation overcome poverty. The path of the nationalists is a step (or two) backwards into a darker age that will hurt Serbians and leave the region bereft of hope.
