Serbians are voting on Sunday in run-off presidential election, seen as key to the country's future, with the two candidates level in opinion polls.

Hardline nationalist Tomislav Nikolic is challenging President Boris Tadic, who is seen as more pro-Western.

Nikolic - beaten in the run-off in a similar contest in 2004 - narrowly won the first round two weeks ago.

The poll is being watched closely, with the province of Kosovo expected to declare independence in a few weeks.

Voting began at 0700 (0600 GMT) and ends at 2000 (1900 GMT).

Kosovo has been run by the UN since 1999, when a US-led Nato bombing campaign drove out Serb forces accused of a brutal crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatism.

The US and most of the EU members back the independence plan, while Serbia and Russia are strongly opposed to it.

Both candidates strongly oppose the idea of an independent Kosovo.

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