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.

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.