Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus prepared today for a second-round runoff in Serbia's presidential elections after beating other contenders at weekend polls.
"The game continues. This was the first half. We are facing the second half now," said pro-West economist Mr Labus after no single candidate won more than 50 per cent of the ballot in yesterday's vote.
Mr Kostunica, who rode into power two years ago on the back of a popular uprising against his predecessor, Mr Slobodan Milosevic, said he expected to triumph in the second round on October 13th.
"The elections have shown something very encouraging for me. Serbia is not for shortcuts and not for extremes," he said this morning, accusing Mr Labus of slavishly following Western economic dictates.
More than 55 per cent of Serbia's 6.5 million voters cast their ballots yesterday in an election seen as a key test of whether the Yugoslav republic would stick to reforms started after Mr Milosevic was ousted.
No official results were expected until later today but an independent observer group said Mr Kostunica had won 31.2 per cent and Mr Labus 27.7 per cent of the vote.
AFP