BRUSSELS, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- The European Union hopes a pro-Western coalition of democratic parties will form the next Serbian government after the narrow victory of ultra-nationalists.
In Sunday's elections, the ultra-nationalist Radical Party won the most ballots for a single party, but not enough to form a new government on its own. The democratic parties together won the majority, but have been unable to formulate clear commitments for the look of a government. Leaders of the two major democratic parties have each claimed the prime minister's job.
EU officials are nevertheless hopeful that Serbia can make another step toward the 27-member body.
"I hope very much that there could be the formation of a government with pro-European and democratic forces," Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, said Monday as he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, according to Deutsche Welle Online. "The majority from the elections is a majority which is for democratic forces."
German Foreign Minister and EU Council President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also welcomed the results of the Serbian elections.
"More than two-thirds of the seats will go to democratic forces," Steinmeier said on Monday in Brussels. "As far as I can tell, this is a good basis for Serbia to form a government that will put it on the European path."
The elections come amid a looming decision on how to deal with Kosovo.
After a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned about too much EU involvement in the Kosovo status negotiations.
"Russia believes it is unacceptable that a decision on the status of Kosovo be imposed from the outside," Putin said.
Russia has opposed independence of Kosovo because Moscow fears other breakaway regions, such as in South Ossetia, will then more strongly issue their calls for independence.
