Serbia's Opposition Leader Ends Hunger Strike

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: April 24, 2011 at 10:59 AM ET

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BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia's main nationalist opposition leader has ended his weeklong hunger strike that he had started to try to force early elections.
Tomislav Nikolic left a Belgrade hospital Sunday to attend an Easter service. His lawyer Vladimir Bozovic said he ended his hunger strike during a reception held afterward by the head of Serbia's Orthodox Church, Patriarch Irinej.
Nikolic stopped taking water and food April 16 when about 50,000 of his supporters rallied in Belgrade demanding an early parliamentary vote. He started drinking water Thursday while hospitalized.
President Boris Tadic has rejected Nikolic's demand for early elections, saying Serbia first has to get European Union candidate status before he calls the vote.