The candidate of the ruling Socialist Party in Serbia, Milan Milutinovic, has won the presidential election - the fourth attempt in three months to elect a leader.

Mr Milutinovic beat the extreme nationalist candidate Vojislav Seselj in Sunday's run-off vote, the electoral commission said.

Vojislav Seselj was involved in paramilitary forces during the wars in Bosnia and Croatia

But Mr Seselj's opposition Radical Party rejected the announcement that turnout had reached the required minimum of 50% of the electorate.

The Radicals also accused their opponents of stuffing ballot boxes in the southern province of Kosovo, where the majority ethnic Albanian population boycotted the poll.

The BBC Belgrade correspondent says a Socialist victory will effectively give control to the Yugoslav Federal President, Slobodan Milosevic - an ally of Mr Milutinovic.

The office of president has been vacant since July, when Slobodan Milosevic was obliged to step down because the constitution barred him from seeking a third term of office. He became instead president of Federal Yugoslavia, which comprises Serbia and Montenegro.

Both political and non-partisan leaders urged Serbia's 7.2 million eligible voters, who are deeply divided along ethnic, political and class lines, to vote so that Serbia can continue with its political business.

In the last vote, on December 7, Mr Milutinovic garnered 42% of votes cast and Mr Seselj got 32%.

Milan Milutinovic: formerly Yugoslav Foreign Minister.

Mr Milutinovic has accused Mr Seselj of being a fascist, while Mr Seselj has campaigned against Mr Milosevic's "inefficient" and "corrupt" establishment.
 

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