Early elections in Serbia set for December

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia - Serbia's former rulers on Wednesday dissolved the republic's parliament, dominated by loyalists of Slobodan Milosevic, and set early elections for December.

The transitional government's main responsibility will be to secure law and order as well as ''fair and democratic conditions'' for the Dec. 23 vote, Serbian President Milan Milutinovic said.

The announcements come a day after the Serbian parliament ratified an agreement by Milosevic's party to share power with pro-democracy forces.

Yugoslavia is made up of two republics, Serbia and Montenegro. The key to power in Yugoslavia lies in control of Serbia, which accounts for 90 percent of the country's population and virtually all of its economy.

Until now, Serbia's parliament has been dominated by allies of the former president. The elections, nearly a year ahead of schedule, offer new Yugoslav leader Vojislav Kostunica's forces a chance to win control of the legislature.

Political tensions remain high, but pro-democracy forces will work to make the elections ''the most democratic ones to date,'' said Nebojsa Covic, Serbia's new vice premier from the democracy camp.

''We are stepping together along a road to a truly democratic society, and I am convinced we shall accomplish our goal,'' he said.

Milutinovic, a close Milosevic ally, will remain as president of Serbia until 2002, despite public calls for his ouster. He wished the new government success but warned against continued public criticism of Milosevic and his family.

''These attacks are below any decency and those who launch them know they are not true,'' he said.

Since Kostunica assumed the federal presidency Oct. 7, he and his allies in the 18-party Democratic Opposition of Serbia have struggled to consolidate their authority, jump-start the economy and prepare Yugoslavia to rejoin major international organizations.

Power shortages have left Serbians without electricity or heat as temperatures drop.

On Wednesday, the Hungarian gas and oil company MOL said it resumed natural gas shipments to Yugoslavia for humanitarian reasons.