By Nick Hawton
BBC News, Belgrade
Serbians are due to vote on Sunday in presidential elections, the first since Serbia became independent last year, breaking its union with Montenegro.
The election comes at a crucial time, with tensions rising over the future of Serbia's disputed province of Kosovo.
Nine candidates will contest the election.
Most analysts Kosovo to declare independence after Serbian election-diplomat ...
Serbia to Shun EU Path if Kosovo Independence Recognized ...
Announcement of November 10 march invalid-Prague City Hall ... regard it as a race between current pro-Western President, Boris Tadic, and Tomislav Nikolic, the leader of a hardline nationalist party.
Mr Nikolic's Serbian Radicals is the country's largest political party.
The campaign has been dominated by the issues of Kosovo, the economy, and closers ties with the European Union.
The post of president is largely ceremonial, but it does carry enormous symbolic influence.
The president is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, which could be critical in the coming weeks and months, when Kosovo Albanians are expected to declare independence from Serbia, something strongly opposed by Belgrade.
To become president, the winner must gain more than 50% of the votes, and it is likely that this will not be achieved on Sunday.
The top two candidates may very well go into a run off election at the start of February.
(BBC)
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