Ten seats will be contested in a second round, slated for 27 November. Parties may still contest the returns. At a19 November press conference, DSS head Vojislav Kostunica announced that his party will back Democratic Party and Zajedno leader Zoran Djindjic as candidate for Belgrade mayor. Vuk Draskovic, head of the Serbian Renewal Movement and a leader of the Zajedno coalition, told some 35,000 demonstrators in Nis on 19 November that the ruling Socialists were responsible for election breaches during the 17 November local election run-offs, Nasa Borba reported. He added that some irregularities are so serious that a third round of balloting will have to take place in some districts.
Violations allegedly range from falsification of ballots to the theft of ballot boxes.
Meanwhile, Nasa Borba reported that the authorities are mobilizing police and military reserves with the likely intent of at least intimidating those attending opposition rallies. The opposition had boycotted the second round of the 1994 parliamentary elections, charging fraud. Meanwhile, an OSCE observer mission said that reported irregularities did not put the validity of the local ballot into question. Ciorbea's nomination has to be approved by the parliament, which is expected to give its consent. It is most likely that new elections for that post will take place in the next few months, with a CDR deputy mayor temporarily replacing Ciorbea.