Europe

Serbia ruling party celebrates election ‘win’

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The ruling Serbian center-right party has begun celebrating amid estimates pointing to its victory in the country’s general elections.

Figures by the Belgrade-based independent CeSID polling group showed that the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won about 160 seats in the country’s 250-seat parliament in Sunday’s snap elections.

The polling group also said that the Socialist Party of Serbia received 50 seats and the remaining 40 seats went to the Democratic Party and another faction formed after breaking ranks with the Democratic Party under the leadership of former President Boris Tadic.

Official results are expected later on Monday; however, all parties taking part in the vote have confirmed the unofficial results.

The leader of the winning ruling party, Aleksandar Vucic, has pledged to overhaul Serbia’s struggling economy and push for membership in the European Union (EU).

The party called the early vote after Serbia joined EU ministerial talks in Brussels for the formal launch of membership negotiations in January.

The EU’s decision to begin membership negotiations followed a deal between Serbia and Kosovo, in which Serbia agreed to recognize the authority of the government in Pristina over the territory of Kosovo. Serbia, however, still refuses to recognize Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence.

This is while the Balkan country is struggling with financial difficulties and simmering social discontent due to declining living standards.

The average monthly salary stands at just 350 euros (USD 480) and official figures show the country’s unemployment rate at about 20 percent; however, experts say the level is much higher.

Serbia has been told by international creditors that in order for the country to move forward, the government must impose cut jobs in the public sector and privatize state-owned companies.

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