VZCZCXRO4078
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #0519/01 1481535
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271535Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0334
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEPGDA/USEUCOM JIC VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0466

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000519 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SR
SUBJECT: SERBIA: DEMOCRATS WIN OUTRIGHT MAJORITY IN VOJVODINA 
PROVINCE 
 
REF: A) BELGRADE 508, B) BELGRADE 468, C) BELGRADE 474 
 
BELGRADE 00000519  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Summary 
 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) The Democratic Party won an outright majority in the 
May 25 runoff elections for Serbia's Autonomous Province of 
Vojvodina's parliament.  Low voter turnout helped the Democrats 
win, as Radical voters stayed home.  The provincial win is a 
major boost for the DS as it negotiates to form a government on 
the national level.  End Summary. 
 
Democrats Win 
 
------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Voters provided the Democrats a solid majority in the 
May 25 runoff election for 60 of the Vojvodina autonomous 
parliaments's 120 seats (Ref A).  The DS-led coalition "For a 
European Vojvodina" (ZEV) won 41 seats, according to preliminary 
DS data.  (The Provincial Election Commission has until 2000 
local on May 30 to release final results.)  Combined with the 23 
proportional representation seats that ZEV won in the first 
round on May 11, ZEV will have an absolute majority of 64 seats. 
 The Radicals (SRS) will control 24 seats, the Hungarians 9, 
Together for Vojvodina (the coalition led by Nenad Canak's 
League of Vojvodina Social Democrats--LSV) 6, the Democratic 
Party of Serbia/New Serbia Coalition (DSS/NS) 6, the Socialists 
(SPS/PUPS) 4, and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 1.  In 
addition, various independent citizen groups will hold six seats. 
 
Low Voter Turnout 
 
----------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) For the May 25 runoff, voter turnout was only 34.5%, 
compared to 61.75% in the first round.  Voter apathy may be 
growing as Vojvodina voters were asked to go to the polls for a 
fourth time since January.  Radical voters appeared to have 
stayed away en masse, which worked to the advantage of the DS. 
David Bell (Amcit), Chief of Party of the International 
Republican Institute, told us on May 27 that the silence from 
Radical voters was an electoral anomaly since SRS voters are 
known to be the most disciplined.  Bell described Radical voters 
as "confused" as Kosovo slips further from the headlines and 
even Radical leaders say they want to see Serbia have a future 
with Europe.  According to LSV head Nenad Canak, Radical voters 
did not care about Vojvodina because they believed the real 
power was in the center, at the national level.  Radical voters 
had only shown up on May 11 because of the national and local 
elections also held that day, Canak told us on May 27. 
 
Next Steps 
 
---------- 
 
¶4. (U) Although the Democrats have an outright majority, they 
may still decide to form a coalition provincial government with 
other parties.  Doing so would be a political calculation, as 
the Democrats will seek to enlist the support of other parties 
on the national level and in local governments throughout 
Serbia.  DS Vice President and Vojvodina Assembly President 
Bojan Pajtic told Serbian pro-DS daily Blic on May 27 that other 
parties may join the coalition, if it served a greater interest. 
 "We haven't considered involving the Socialist Party of Serbia 
(SPS) in the (provincial) government, something like that could 
only happen if it was in a greater interest, to constitute a 
pro-EU republic government and constituting pro-EU governments 
in the vast majority of cities and municipalities in Vojvodina 
and Serbia, including Belgrade," Pajtic told Blic. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Canak said he would discuss his coalition's role in the 
Vojvodina government with DS leaders at a meeting on May 27. 
With a DS absolute majority, he was not certain Together for 
Vojvodina would be part of the province's government.  Hungarian 
Coalition leader Istvan Pasztor told us May 27 that he was both 
disappointed because the Hungarians did not take more seats and 
satisfied that the democratic forces won so strongly.  Pasztor 
said he was waiting to hear from President Tadic about 
negotiations for both the national and Vojvodina governments. 
Pasztor said the Hungarians would have no new conditions for 
participating in either and he was sure he could come to an 
agreement with DS. 
 
Comment 
 
------- 
 
BELGRADE 00000519  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Democrats' strong win in autonomous Vojvodina 
provides a clear message regarding the pro-EU political wishes 
of many of Vojvodina's voters.  The democratic win is also a 
timely boost to the DS in its negotiations with the Socialists 
-- and others -- to form a national government.  The DS should 
seize the momentum and secure a functioning coalition on the 
national level as soon as possible; the Vojvodina win is 
definitely a shot in the arm.  End Comment. 
MUNTER