Government backs down on election result

Belgrade (AP) - In a big concession to pro-democracy demonstrators, the Serbian government acknowledged last night that the opposition won the republic's second-largest city in municipal elections. A Justice Ministry statement read out on state television said that the opposition had won the city of Nis in the 17 November municipal elections.

Nis is Serbia's second-largest city. Annulments of opposition victories there, in the capital, Belgrade, and 12 other municipalities sparked the protests that went into their 51st day yesterday.