Russia in trying in different places, not only in the Balkans but also in Europe, to show the weakness and incompetence, primarily of the EU, says Ivan Vejvoda.

"The weakening and slowing down of the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans opens up space for countries like Russia, and not only for them, but in different ways for both China and Turkey, and even for the Arab Emirates - the space for certain political and economic, and I would say religious activities," Vejvoda said.

Slovakia is explicitly opposed to the transformation of the Kosovo Security Forces into an armed force, Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini has said.

The response of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) to Pristina's 100% customs fees could be a request to exclude Kosovo from the CEFTA agreement, reports portal B92.

Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia-Herzegovina Mirko Sarovic said, commenting on Pristina's measures, aimed also against goods from central Serbia, that there was no need to resort to countermeasures - but that BiH's response could be a request for the exclusion of Kosovo from agreements that guarantee free trade.

The (Democratic) Republic of Madagascar has informed the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that it has revoked the decision to recognize Kosovo.

"We have received a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar, informing us that the decision was made on December 5," First Deputy PM and Foreign Minister of Serbia Ivica Dacic told Tanjug on Friday.

Dacic pointed out that Madagascar is the 12th country to withdraw recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo.

The strengthening of the presence of NATO and the EU in the Balkans leads to a deeper destabilization of Europe, Sergei Lavrov has said to the Greek daily Efimerida Syntakton, quotes portal B92.

The Russian foreign minister pointed out that Moscow is concerned about these aspirations.

New US Ambassador in Pristina Philip Kosnett said that the announced formation of Kosovo army was a "a positive step."

Kosnett told RTK broadcaster in an interview late on Thursday that "Kosovo's leaders have talked about how the Kosovo Armed Forces could participate in peace-keeping operations overseas." And according to him, they also said that "Kosovo has reached the point where instead of only being a consumer of international security that it can contribute to it."

Secretary general of the Serbian president Nikola Selakovic told Prva TV on Wednesday that there is no confirmation that Washington is sending a ship full of weapons to the (future) Kosovo army, quotes B92 portal.

"The very fact that the formation of the so-called Kosovo army is being considered, which is contrary to all international regulations, but also to those adopted in Kosovo, shows that they don't hesitate at nothing," said Selakovic.

Aleksandar Vucic informed Chinese Ambassador Li Manchang about "the danger of the announced formation of the army of the so-called Kosovo on December 14."

Vucic asked Li to, as a friend of Serbia, "regularly report to the Chinese leadership on the development of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija," the Serbian president's cabinet said in a press release on Tuesday.

The first international judge in Kosovo says that soon after arriving there he realized there would be no justice for Serbs in the Kosovo judiciary.

Cristar Karphamar was appointed as the first UN judge by the UNMIK administration led by Bernard Kouchner, and he assumed his duties in 2000.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Ana Brnabic have asked China's Ambassador in Belgrade, Li Manchang to inform the Chinese leadership that Serbia “has never been in a more difficult situation.”

Ambassador Li responded to this by saying he will notify the President of China about the issue in the course of the day.