Belgrade City Assembly

BELGRADE - Our goal is an overwhelming election win and an absolute majority in the Belgrade City Assembly - that is the only way Belgrade and Serbia can go forward together, Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) leader Aleksandar Vucic said late Wednesday.

Spoof politician Luka Maksimovic will be able to compete in the Belgrade local elections on March 4 after all - after his group got round a legal problem by deciding that one of its members will change his name to Maksimovic's previous alias, "Ljubisa Preletacevic 'Beli'".

With campaigning well under way in the lead up to the Belgrade City Assembly election on March 4, political parties are scrambling to attract celebrity candidates and endorsements from stars and public figures in a bid to win over voters.

BELGRADE - Observers of Serbia's Anti-Corruption Agency are monitoring the electoral campaigning of parties running for seats in the Belgrade City Assembly, the Agency has announced.

It said its observers would be monitoring the activities of all political entities on the ground until the announcement of the final results of the March 4 elections.

With the date of the Belgrade City Assembly election set for March 4, voters will soon be choosing between various party and coalition lists, some of which have caused surprise.

The Socialist Party, a junior partner in the ruling parliamentary coalition, will be going it alone in the Belgrade vote.

Ahead of the budget debate, the issue of the cost of the New Year tree installed in Republic Square has been raised in the Belgrade City Assembly.

President Aleksandar Vucic has brought the flag of the EU back to the Serbian Presidency building.

The daily Blic writes that this was "one of the first moves he made" since becoming president last Wednesday.

The EU flag was removed from the presidency "several years ago" by Vucic's predecessor Tomislav Nikolic.

The Belgrade City Assembly will on Thursday pass decisions to name several streets and squares in the Serbian capital.

In the municipality of Vracar, a street will be named after Russian diplomat Nikolai Hartvig, while the former Financial Park in Savski Venac will be named after Gavrilo Princip.

A monument to Princip is already located in the park.

The Belgrade City Assembly will on Thursday pass decisions to name several streets and squares in the Serbian capital.

In the municipality of Vracar, a street will be named after Russian diplomat Nikolai Hartvig, while the former Financial Park in Savski Venac will be named after Gavrilo Princip.

The Belgrade City Assembly has decided to amend regulations to allow city transport ticket inspectors to issue electronic misdemeanor warrants.

These will be given to passengers found to be traveling without a ticket.