Serbian President-Elect To Make First Trip To Brussels, Not Moscow

President-elect Tomislav Nikolic (right) greets Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak in Belgrade on May 24.

A European Union envoy says incoming Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic will make his first official trip abroad to the EU's headquarters in Brussels after next week's inauguration.

Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak made the announcement after meeting with Nikolic in Belgrade on May 24.

Lajcak traveled to Serbia on behalf of EU foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton to convey a message urging Serbia to remain on a pro-Western course.

Nikolic, who won Serbia's May 20 runoff, is to be sworn in as president on May 28.

Earlier reports said Nikolic would travel to Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin on May 26.

Nikolic, a former Serbian ultranationalist, has vowed to pursue Serbia's bid to join the EU, while at the same time maintaining Serbia's traditionally strong ties with Russia.

Based on reporting by AFP and B92.net