Sergei Lavrov's visit showed that Russia's support for Aleksandar Vucic is effectively conditioned by his alliance with pro-Russian forces in the government.

This is according to Gennady Sisoyev, a correspondent for Russian daily Kommersant, who spoke for Beta agency.

Serbian leaders heaped praise on Russia during Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Belgrade – while Lavrov in turn said Russia would not relent in its opposition to Kosovo's independence.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on Thursday accused the EU and NATO of creating an “unhealthy situation” in Europe, while his Serbian hosts thanked Russia for its support and repeated that Serbia will not introduce Western-style sanctions.

Leader of Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Milos Jovanovic told Danas daily that immediately after the Belgrade elections, issues of the Constitution of Serbia and a struggle to preserve Kosovo within the state of Serbia would be moving on.

“Vucic said he will unveil his proposal on Kosovo at the beginning of April, therefore we expect that the issue of territorial integrity of Serbia would be moved on,” Jovanovic told Serbian media.

KFOR Commander Major General Salvatore Couci said that the murder of Oliver Ivanovic is under investigation, there is a full cooperation with EULEX and all are involved in resolving the case, Serbian media reported.

General Couci in an interview to RTK assessed the situation in Kosovo as calm and stable and that they work a lot with the Kosovo police responsible to keep the situation under control.

Cooperation between Serbia and Russia does not represent any threat to Kosovo, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Forces for Europe, General James Everard and Commander of NATO’s Joint Force Command in Naples, U.S. Navy Admiral James Foggo said during the visit to the KFOR base in Pristina, RTS reported.

“Relations between Serbia and Russia are a matter of sovereignty of the two states and Serbia can decide with whom it wishes bilateral cooperation and what relations it wants to have,” NATO Commanders said, RTS reported.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov late on Thursday presented a Russian state decoration, the Order of Friendship, to his Serbian counterpart Ivica Dacic.

Dacic has been given this award for his merits in strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic says it is more logical for the US and the UK to withdraw their recognition of Kosovo - than for Russia to recognize it.

The comment, made after Dacic's meeting in Belgrade with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, was prompted by Hashim Thaci saying that Belgrade "would be able to step out of the false mythology" if Russia recognized Kosovo.

Albanian President Ilir Meta is against division of Kosovo and thinks that the exchange of territories is an idea of destructive people, Belgrade based daily Vecerenje Novosti reported referring to the Albanian media.

According to Albanian media, Meta made these remarks during the talks with the European Council on Foreign Relations representatives including Carl Bildt.

Meta repeated stance he thinks Western Balkan countries should join EU as soon as possible, Vecernje Novosti reported.

Serbian opposition parties Dveri and It is Enough Movement requested an extraordinary Assembly session dedicated to “international pressure upon state bodies of the Republic of Serbia related to negotiations and the situation in Kosovo and Metohija,” KoSSev portal reported.  

They requested the presence of the Serbian Prime Minister, Ana Branbic, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic, Minister of Interior, Nebojsa Stefanovic and Serbian Government Office for Kosovo Director, Marko Djuric to respond to the questions from MPs.

Former Serbian Foreign Minister, Vladislav Jovanovic said yesterday during the roundtable held within the framework of internal dialogue on Kosovo, that forgotten document related to the renewed accession of Serbia to the UN could be crucial in solving the Kosovo issue, Insajder portal reported.

Meanwhile, his colleague Zivorad Jovanovic said Serbia should pay attention to four things that Belgrade in no way must do.