BRUSSELS (AP)--The European Union on Sunday called the success by a pro-Western bloc in Serbia's parliamentary elections a "clear victory" of pro-European forces. 

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