Serbian voters face a stark choice in run-off

The second round presidential run-off in Serbia will present voters with a stark choice between a nationalist, leaning towards Russia, and a liberal, favoured by the West.

It’s not a choice many want to make.

The general feeling is that Serbia should join the European Union.

But the outcome of the weekend ballot was not a surprise.

“This is what we expected,” said one man. “They now have two weeks of hard work to show who is better.”

“This is disaster,” said one student. “I am really disappointed. I hope that Boris Tadic will win in the second round.”

The presidential election was watched extremely closely by Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo.

Serbia was not historically a close ally of Russia, but it has become so in Serbia’s battle to hang on to sovereignty of Kosovo.

The Albanians in Kosovo boycotted this weekend’s election, as the province prepares to declare independence.

Both the presidential candidates have said they won’t accept it.

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