Serbia And Montenegro: Deputies Elected For New Assembly

Belgrade, 25 February 2003 (RFE/RL) -- Parliaments in Belgrade and Podgorica today elected deputies for the assembly of Serbia and Montenegro, a new union replacing the Yugoslav federation. Montenegro delegated 35 deputies and Serbia delegated 91 to the 126-seat assembly, which is expected to be constituted within five days. The union's next parliament will be directly elected in about two years.

The deputies were appointed for two-year terms, and reflect a mixture of political parties from both parliaments, including pro-democratic and nationalist politicians.

After being constituted, the parliament will then elect a president for the new union and a cabinet of five ministers. Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica will then step down.