The Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) is one of the most respected institutions and its recommendations on Kosovo and Metohija will be respected.

However, this will not determine state policy, says Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin.

Vulin told TV Pink that the SOC is owed attention, respect and gratitude for everything it has always been doing, but that Serbia is a secular state where politicians, elected by the people in elections, make decisions.

"The Church makes recommendations and it must be spoken about with respect. Will it define state policy and determine that it can only be so and no other way - well no," Vulin said.

According to him, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic "has sincere and great respect for what he is doing in the Church, but it also must be understood that the Church has its views on the issue of Kosovo, but that does not mean it must unconditionally be done that way."

"The Church is the shepherd of its people and it is the one who recommends, says how and what it thinks, and that needs to be taken into account. Of course, the SOC will be with its state as it always has been. Find me a time in the history of our people when the Church was against its state," Vulin stressed.