Pro-Western Official Quits Race for Serbian Presidency

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia —  Yugoslavia’s pro-Western deputy prime minister, a key contender in Serbian presidential elections, said Monday that he would not run in the Dec. 8 repeat ballot.

Miroljub Labus finished second behind Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica in the October runoff for president. The vote was declared invalid because of low voter turnout.

“Voters in Serbia evidently do not believe these elections can change anything,” Labus said. “Therefore I have no wish to run again.”

Labus said people in Serbia, the larger of Yugoslavia’s two republics, were “tired of disputes and divisions.”

Kostunica has said he will soon decide whether to run in the repeat vote. So far, only ultranationalist Vojislav Seselj has confirmed that he will be a candidate.