The turnout in Serbia's presidential election has again fallen below the 50% necessary to make the result valid, independent election monitors said. Unofficial results put the current Yugoslav President, Vojislav Kostunica, in the lead with about 58% of the vote, but Mr Kostunica said he would not recognise the results, which he said were subject to "scandalous rigging" by the state electoral commission. The failed ballot is a significant blow to Mr Kostunica, whose current job is due to vanish soon when the Yugoslav federation is disbanded and replaced by a loose union between Serbia and Montenegro. The Yugoslav president, a moderate nationalist who also won in October, has accused his political rival - Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic - of sabotaging the vote. Mr Kostunica also criticised the 50% turnout requirement, claiming the overall number of eligible voters was "inflated" with dead and nonexistent people and worthy of an entry in the Guinness book of records.

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