Chalk one up for Boris Tadic -- his pro-European Democratic Party has eked out a victory in parliamentary elections over the Radical Party. (The ultranationalists share the views of nationalists such as conservative Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica in favoring closer ties with Russia over the goal of European Union membership.)

More from the Associated Press:

"Independent monitors said Tadic's coalition had about 38 percent of the vote with about 50 percent of the vote counted nationwide. They said the ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party was running a distant second with 28 percent.

Tadic described Sunday's win as 'convincing' and said it shows that a majority of Serbia's citizens want to join the European Union. But Tadic also said his government would never recognize Kosovo's statehood.

The ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party clung to a slim lead heading into parliamentary elections, closely trailed by President Boris Tadic's pro-Western coalition."

Al-Jazeera looks at how the parlimentary vote will translate into real-world coalition blocs:

"Omar Khalifa, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Belgrade, said that despite their victory claim, the pro-EU parties are in some difficulty.

Tadic's party can only achieve 119 seats - or with the minority parties 122 at best - which is not enough to take the required 126 seat majority in parliament.

By contrast, the DSS, with the Radical party and the Socialist party, can realistically combine to produce 127 seats, giving them enough for a majority governing coalition."

So it's decidedly a mixed bag for Boris.

Serbia also extended its elections to newly independent Kosovo, over the objections of the United Nations and ethnic Albanians who accuse Belgrade of trying to stir separatist feelings within Kosovo's two main communities.