BRUSSELS, Belgium-The European Union has called the success by a pro-Western bloc in Serbia's parliamentary elections a "clear victory" of pro-European forces.

The EU says it hopes a government with a clear European agenda will soon be formed following the election victory by the Coalition for a European Serbia. It says this would enhance Serbia's bid to join the bloc, long stalled over its inability to hand two indicted war criminals over the a U.N. tribunal.

The Slovenian EU presidency said Sunday after the elections that a pro-European course by Serbia's new government should grant it a status of an EU candidate country, a step toward eventual membership of the bloc.