Serbs start voting in election

BELGRADE, Jan 21 (Reuters) Serbs went to the polls today in a national election expected to be a tight race between ultranationalists and pro-Western reformers.

The West says the country, still recovering from a decade of sanctions and isolation under the late autocrat Slobodan Milosevic, must decide if it wants to reclaim its place in Europe.

The new government will face having to implement more painful economic changes and deal with two major international issues: the future of the breakaway Kosovo province and the handover of top war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic.

About 6.6 million Serbians are entitled to vote. Polling stations opened at 7 am (11:30 ist) and close at 8 pm (00:30 ist).

First projections of the result are expected before midnight.

REUTERS AB KP1148