Serbia's Opposition Progressives in Poll Lead

According to the poll, the list led by the Serbian Progressive Party can count on 32 per cent of votes while only 25 per cent would vote for Boris Tadic's ruling Democrats.

The survey was conducted by Ipsos Strategic Marketing and published by the Belgrade-based daily Danas, drawing on research conducted by phone from February 3 to 5. The agency polled 1,198 Serbians.

Far behind the two main rivals are the Socialist Party of Serbia on 9 per cent and the opposition Liberal Democratic Party, LDP, on 10 per cent.

However, about 22 per cent of all those who took part in the survey said it would be good if the LDP became part of a new government.

The poll showed that alongside these four parties, two others look certain to pass the 5 per cent threshold needed to enter parliament.

These are two opposition nationalist parties: the Democratic Party of Serbia, led by former Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica; and the Serbian Radical Party, whose leader, Vojislav Seselj, is currently on trial in The Hague for war crimes. Both have the support of 6 per cent of voters.

According to the research, Serbians are not going to ignore the election; 59 per cent of those surveyed said they would definitely vote, while 18 per cent answered that they were "most likely" to vote. About 13 per cent said they would not vote.

The research also showed that the LDP has most committed voters; 98 of those who would vote for this party plan to cast ballots. About 92 per cent of Progressives and Socialist voters will also go to the polls, along with 90 per cent of pro-Democrat voters.

The speaker of parliament, Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, in late January said the election will most probably be called by March 11 and held on May 6.

"See you in another movie,"