Serbia's parliament approved Tuesday a new pro-democracy government, overcoming efforts by anti-Western ultranationalists to spoil the vote and force new elections.

The new coalition was formed just 30 minutes before midnight - the deadline to approve the government or call new elections.

Serbia's Radicals, who ruled with the late President Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990s, had stalled the approval of the government with lengthy debates in hopes of missing the deadline.

New elections would have likely benefited the Radicals, who won the most seats in the parliamentary elections but not enough to govern. The European Union and the United States had repeatedly urged pro-democracy groups to forge a coalition and ensure that the increasingly popular Radicals remain at bay.

The coalition government consists of pro-Western Democrats led by President Boris Tadic, and the conservative Democratic Party of Serbia, headed by moderately nationalist Vojislav Kostunica.

The new government will face its first major test in a few weeks when the UN Security Council is expected to vote on a plan to give independence to the southern province of Kosovo.

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