BBC News Online: World: Europe

Serb radicals leave government

The ultra-nationalist Radical Party has resigned from the Serbian Government in protest at policy over Kosovo.

The party, which is led by the Deputy Prime Minister, Vojislav Seselj, held 15 of the 35 ministries in Serbia in coalition with President Milosevic's Socialists.

Mr Seselj opposed the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from Kosovo and the deployment of Nato troops as part of the international peacekeeping contingent, K-For.

Bad news for Milosevic?

On the face of it, the loss of the Radical Party's support looks serious for President Milosevic. In reality, it is a move he almost welcomes.

He will have no difficulty in getting other political figures and other parties to join him.

Vuk Draskovic, for instance, former vice premier and long-term critic of Mr Milosevic, dropped a pretty strong hint last week that he would be interested.

It may indeed by part of the post-war Milosevic strategy to shift his government bodily towards the centre of Yugoslav politics and so present himself as the moderate leader who people can trust to protect them against the extreme attitudes of Vojislav Seselj's Radicals.

All say Mr Seselj is pulling out because he believes President Milosevic has failed to prosecute the war against Nato with sufficient determination.

The freer the Radicals are to make that accusation, the more damage they can do to Mr Milosevic's bland assurances that Serbia, and not Nato, won this war.

Relevant Stories

British troops find war and peace (14 Jun 99 | Europe)
War crimes investigators fly in (14 Jun 99 | Europe)
Serbian media tones down rhetoric (13 Jun 99 | Monitoring)
Russians refuse to budge (13 Jun 99 | Europe)
British troops kill Pristina gunman (13 Jun 99 | Europe)
Eyewitness: Watching Nato arrive (13 Jun 99 | Europe)
K-For: The task ahead (11 Jun 99 | Europe)

Internet Links

Nato
Russian Foreign Ministry
Serbian Ministry of Information
Kosovo Crisis Centre

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

In this section

Violence greets Clinton visit
Russian forces pound Grozny
EU fraud: a billion dollar bill
Next steps for peace
Cardinal may face loan-shark charges
Vodafone takeover battle heats up (From Business)
Trans-Turkish pipeline deal signed
French party seeks new leader
Jube tube debut
Athens riots for Clinton visit
UN envoy discusses Chechnya in Moscow
Solana new Western European Union chief
Moldova's PM-designate withdraws
Chechen government welcomes summit
In pictures: Clinton's violent welcome
Georgia protests over Russian 'attack'
UN chief: No Chechen 'catastrophe'
New arms control treaty for Europe
Mannesmann fights back (From Business)
EU fraud -- a billion-dollar bill
New moves in Spain's terror scandal
EU allows labelling of British beef
UN seeks more security in Chechnya
Athens riots for Clinton visit
Russia's media war over Chechnya
Homeless suffer as quake toll rises
Analysis: East-West relations must shift