Polls open in Serbia presidential elections

Polling stations opened across Serbia Sunday for the final round of presidential elections with surveys predicting victory for incumbent Boris Tadic over his nationalist challenger Tomislav Nikolic.More than 6.7 million eligible voters can cast their ballots until 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) with first preliminary results expected during the evening.Surveys published just ahead of the second round run-off showed Tadic, 54, leading with 58 percent, while Nikolic had 42 percent.Tadic, who brought a once politically and economically isolated Serbia to the doorstep of the European Union, is seeking his third and final five-year mandate which he said would be dedicated to his countrys European integration and economic development.He came just ahead of Nikolic in the May 6 first round of presidential elections, in which the nationalist has accused his rival of vote fraud.The claims were dismissed both by Serbias prosecutor and electoral officials but they have cast a shadow over the polls.Nikolic, a one-time ally of the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic, is a recent convert to the European cause. He has vowed to steer a pro-EU course but also warned he would not let Serbia join the bloc at any cost.The 60-year-old opposition leader campaigned on populist promises, like a tax hike for the rich to be used to increase pensions and welfare payments.Tadic pulled ahead of Nikolic after he won an important backing from the Socialists, the third biggest party in the Serbian parliament since legislative polls held two weeks ago.