We appeal to our statesmen to never consent to the alienation of Kosovo and Metohija, since what is taken by force can be returned, while what is given away as a gift is lost forever, and Serbs and Serbia must not allow that to happen. The Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) sincerely hopes that the problem created firstly by an armed uprising of Albanian separatists, and then by the occupation of our southern province would be resolved peacefully based on justice and law principles.

According to a new poll, on a scale from one to five, Serbian citizens appraise their country's relations with the EU a mark of 2.78.

The public opinion poll about the citizens' stance toward the EU was carried out March 21-24 by the Institute for European Affairs NGO and the Ninamedia agency, on a representative sample of 1,201 respondents.

More than half of them support Serbia's membership in the EU in general terms, while 49.5 percent said they would vote in favor of this (in a referendum).

Representatives of the US, the UK, France, Italy and Germany are in Washington for talks on the the final stage of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

Pristina-based Albanian language daily Gazeta Express said it has learned this.

A source told the newspaper that representatives of the five most powerful Western countries have gathered in Washington to hold consultations on the talks between Belgrade and Pristina.

As the EU Rule-of-Law Mission in Kosovo, EULEX, enters the final month of its mandate, the Pristina authorities said they will allow another mission, but with a scaled-down monitoring and advisory role.

As EULEX’s ten-year mandate comes to an end in mid-June, Kosovo’s Ministry of Justice told BIRN that instead of shutting down completely, the Pristina authorities want the EU rule-of-law mission to change its mandate and designation and stay on.

Foreign policy commentator Bosko Jaksic and Chair of the Centre for Strategic Alternatives Aleksandar Mitic told TV N1 that Russia is in favour of maintaining “status quo” in Kosovo.

Both interlocutors agreed Kosovo would be a dominant topic in Vucic-Putin meeting in Moscow, but they disagreed when it comes to Serbia’s position related to Kosovo, TV N1 reported.

A two-day forum on trust building in Kosovo is being held in Ljubljana with participation of more than 150 participants, including UNMIK, municipal leadership and administration, civil society, media and religious communities, Serbian media report.

Head of EU Office in Pristina, Nataliya Apostolova said today she cannot tell the precise date as to when the works on Ibar Bridge would be completed, since it depends on technical issues and weather conditions, Kontakt plus radio reported.

Apostolova noted that the Ibar Bridge is one of the Brussels agreements, and according to her, it is one of the most visible and most spectacular project within the dialogue implementation.

She thanked the mayor of Mitrovica North, Goran Rakic and municipal administration over their constructive approach.

Belgrade-based daily Vecernje Novosti writes today that Sofia is carefully polishing the format of forthcoming Sofia Summit, in order not to hurt sensibility of states which have not recognized unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo.

Their message is clear, there would be no room for any kind of Kosovo „statehood“ there.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Thursday that he would continue his efforts to convince other countries to withdraw their recognition of Kosovo.

"We will continue to explain to everyone that the case of Kosovo is about secession by violence and separatism which runs counter to international law. We do not recognize that false state,” Dacic said in the town of Sevojno.

European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia, David McAllister said that the latest report on Serbia’s progress to the EU rightly places Serbia as one of the leading countries in the process of enlargement, Tanjug news agency reported.

He added reforms in the rule of law area, fundamental freedoms and dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina are the most important tasks for Serbia.