Belgrade- The opposition ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party (SRS) moved a step closer to disintegrating Monday when its ousted acting chief, Tomislav Nikolic, formed a new parliamentary faction.

Nikolic resigned Friday night as under pressure from party leader Vojislav Seselj, who has been on trial at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) since 2003.

Leading the more moderate wing within SRS, Nikolic clashed with Seselj and the hardliners by steering the party toward backing a pre- membership treaty with the EU.

A statement to reporters during a debate in parliament on EU ties and an ergy deal with Russia, said that nine of the 77 SRS deputies would walk out with Nikolic.

Following elections in May, the SRS emerged as the single strongest party in the 250-seat assembly, but failed to grasp power, largely as a result of its anti-Western course.

Serbian nationalists wanted the country to cease overtures to the EU after the West supported the unilateral declaration of independence by the breakaway province of Kosovo.

Though he moved to form a separate faction in parliament, Nikolic said he would decide on his future in the coming days. He hinted that he would either try taking over SRS, which analysts said was unlikely, or form a new party.

"A curtain is falling on the party - it may rise for two new parties or maybe one new party, but what the SRS was has ceased to exist," he told reporters.

Amid reports of death threats against Nikolic and his family over the past few days, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said he has offered the politician police protection. It was not immediately clear whether the offer was taken upon.

The SRS, which was a part of Slobodan Milosevic's regime, hit an all-time law after the strongman fell in 2000, but has enjoyed a resurge under Nikolic's leadership since 2003.

Despite the frustration of repeatedly winning the most votes but losing the elections, the Radicals have until now managed to give an appearance of unity to the public and to political rivals. (dpa)