Politics

BELGRADE – Elections figures show 41.1 percent of Serbia’s eligible voter population turned out to vote in the country’s early parliamentary elections by 5 p.m. Sunday, the Center for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID) said.

BELGRADE - Serbia's Minister without portfolio for Kosovo-Metohija Aleksandar Vulin has been banned from attending a memorial service for slain Kosovo Serbs that will be held at the St. Nicholas Church in Pristina to mark the tenth anniversary of the March Pogrom, the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija said on Sunday.

BELGRADE - State officials, party leaders and candidates for MPs voted on Sunday in the early parliamentary elections in Serbia shortly after the polling stations were opened or later in the morning.

The defense ministers of Ukraine and Russia have agreed on a truce in Crimea by March 21, according to Ukraine's acting Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh.

Russia is to lift the blockade of Ukrainian bases in Crimea by March 21.

Volen Siderov, leader of nationalist party Ataka, has demanded an extraordinary parliamentary sitting on Monday on the situation in Ukraine and the Crimea secession referendum.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - The steering team tasked with establishing the community of Serb municipalities dismissed on Saturday as completely untrue a statement by the Citizens' Initiative Serbia, Democracy, Justice (SDP) on support by representatives of the Serb community in Kosovo-Metohija regarding the idea of forming a so-called Kosovo army.

Crimea votes Sunday in a referendum on whether to re-join Russia or remain a part of Ukraine.

The referendum has been condemned as "illegal" by Ukraine, the European Union and the United States.

As Serbs head to the polls to elect a new parliament, the ruling Serbian Progressive Party is expected to win easily.

State election commission announces preliminary results

BELGRADE -- According to preliminary results of the Election Commission (RIK) only four coalitions and lists of ethnic minorities will have seats in the new parliament.

These preliminary results were announced during a news conference held at midnight in Belgrade.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - The Serb political representatives in northern Kosovo-Metohija backed on Saturday the Serbian government and president in their demand that a "special security force" be set up in that part of the province.