BELGRADE, Serbia - A Serbian ultranationalist resigned as parliament speaker Sunday after only five days in the post, averting immediate fears that the country was returning to its warmongering past.
Tomislav Nikolic stepped down following a last-minute deal between pro-democracy parties to form Serbia's next government.
Nikolic was elected to the No. 2 position in Serbia last Tuesday, triggering fears in the West that allies of late President Slobodan Milosevic were returning to power after their ouster in a popular revolt in 2000.
"I resign from the post ... but be sure that I will watch closely what your new government will do," Nikolic told the parliament in an emotional speech following long, acrimonious debate on whether Serbia should keep striving for closer ties with the West or stick to its traditional ally, Russia.
Nikolic warned the new government that if it "peacefully accepts" independence for Kosovo, his Radicals "won't sit calmly and wait."
He has previously called for military intervention in the breakaway province if it splits from Serbia. A Western-backed plan, which envisages Kosovo's independence, will be debated in the U.N. Security Council this month.
Nikolic's resignation opens the way for a parliamentary vote on the new coalition Cabinet, which consists of pro-Western Democrats led by President Boris Tadic, and the conservative Democratic Party of Serbia, headed by moderately nationalist Vojislav Kostunica.
The expected partners face a Tuesday deadline to finally form the government - nearly four months after parliamentary elections in January - or hold new elections.
The formal approval of a new Cabinet is expected Tuesday in the assembly.
The European Union and the United States have repeatedly urged pro-democracy groups to forge a coalition and ensure that the increasingly popular Radicals remain at bay.
The January elections produced no clear winner - the Radicals won 81 seats in the 250-seat assembly, but did not garner a sufficient majority to govern alone.
During months of fruitless talks between Tadic's and Kostunica's camps, Nikolic managed to secure a parliamentary majority last week to clinch the post of speaker - largely thanks to deputies loyal to Kostunica.
However, a Friday breakthrough in the talks among the democrats meant that Nikolic was forced to resign.
"I am an honorable man and therefore I resign," Nikolic said as he criticized Kostunica for allegedly "betraying" an alleged deal the two had when Nikolic was elected parliament speaker.
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