The Foreign Ministers of Serbia and Kosovo, Ivica Dacic and Behgjet Pacolli, told the Bled Security Forum that Belgrade-Pristina relations need to be normalized and added that they expect Matthew Palmer, Washington‘s new envoy for the Western Balkans to play a positive role in restarting their dialogue.

Speaking at the Forum on Tuesday, Palmer said that he believes there is room to reach an agreement to resolve the issue in the time after the new Kosovo government is formed and the elections in Serbia next spring.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday that the trade exchange between his country and Slovenia rose from 571 million to 1.3 billion Euros in the last ten years, which indicates that the relations between two countries were significantly better, Beta news agency reported.

Borut Pahor, the President of Slovenia, is in Belgrade for two-day visit to discuss bilateral relations, the situation in the region and Serbia’s European path.

Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic commenting on yesterday’s statements of his Slovenian counterpart Cerar on protests in Serbia, Putin’s visit and EU path, said that Cerar speaks about political crisis in Belgrade and they barely managed to form a government, Vecernje Novosti reported.

The latest developments in Serbia raise the question of whether Belgrade is still on the European path, Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar has said.

Speaking before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Slovenian Parliament, Cerar added that Serbia should declare its stance on European orientation, STA is reporting. According to him, these questions should be discussed through talks with Serbian officials, and concern should be expressed over them.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic spoke yesterday with Slovenian Assembly Speaker Dejan Zidan on the continuation of bilateral cooperation, economic relations, upcoming visit of President Borut Pahor to Serbia as well as Kosovo and Metohija, RTS reported.

The officials agreed that the new situation caused by Pristina's introduction of taxes on goods from central Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina has a negative impact on regional stability and that the cancellation of taxes is necessary in order to create the conditions for Belgrade and Pristina to return to the negotiating table.

Socialist Party of Slovenia called upon the president, prime minister and members of the Slovenian government to pledge for the Republic of Slovenia to revoke recognition of Kosovo, in line with the increasing number of states’ decisions on this matter, and support territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia, RTS reports.

The European Union has been weakened by Brexit and may need to postpone plans for expansion into the Western Balkans, the President of Slovenia has warned.

Borut Pahor said the bloc could not hope to take on the likes of Serbia, Montenegro and Albania as new members in its current state.

Speaking in the presence of the European Commission’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, Mr Pahor said: "A weak EU will not be able to expand to the Western Balkans.”

Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic says it is "absolutely counterproductive that some foreign ministers are sending arrogant messages to Belgrade."

Dacic, who is taking part in an informal meeting of EU and candidate countries' foreign ministers in Sofia, Bulgaria, noted on Friday that when it comes to bilateral disputes, EU's stance is "not to import instability, and to find solutions before accession."

The Serbian official, however, observed that this is a rule has not been respected so far.

Slovenia’s President, Borut Pahor, said yesterday in Ljubljana that Kosovo should be recognized by all countries, especially neighbouring ones. “We support Kosovo’s need to be  recognized by all countries, especially neighbouring ones, and to be included in all international organisations,” Pahor said at the opening of economic forum during Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi’s visit to Ljubljana.