Acting Serbian President and parliament Speaker Natasa Micic has dissolved the parliament at a government proposal and called early parliamentary elections for December 28.

According to Micic, the present parliament make-up has used up its democratic potential and reformist capacities after three years of work, and is no longer capable of adopting reform legislation or reshuffling the government.

Accusing opposition parties of blocking the work of lawmakers and trading in parliamentary seats, Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic said he expects citizens to confirm the choices they made in the 2000 elections and re-elect his cabinet in the same or slightly changed make-up so that reforms and EU integration efforts can be resumed.

Serbia is also going to the polls on November 16 in what will be the third attempt to elect a president after the previous two elections failed for low turnout.

If less than the required 50% of eligible voters cast their ballots in the Sunday presidential election, the country may be left in a power vacuum with no parliament or president for the next two months.

(NewsBase 17.xi.03)