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| Serbia ruling coalition collapses | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Serbia's Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica has said his coalition has collapsed and is calling for elections. | |
| The move follows his failure to get his cabinet to reject closer ties with the European Union in the wake of Kosovo's declaration of independence. | |
| Mr Kostunica, a moderate nationalist, has described the decision by EU states to recognise Kosovo as illegal. | Mr Kostunica, a moderate nationalist, has described the decision by EU states to recognise Kosovo as illegal. |
| Serbian President Boris Tadic says Belgrade will only be able to defend its right to Kosovo if it joins the EU. | Serbian President Boris Tadic says Belgrade will only be able to defend its right to Kosovo if it joins the EU. |
| Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February. | Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February. |
| The United States and major EU countries have recognised it as independent. | The United States and major EU countries have recognised it as independent. |
| Serbia, backed by its ally, Russia, says it will never accept an independent Kosovo. | Serbia, backed by its ally, Russia, says it will never accept an independent Kosovo. |
| The government in Belgrade has allegedly agreed a secret plan against Kosovo and countries that recognise it. | The government in Belgrade has allegedly agreed a secret plan against Kosovo and countries that recognise it. |
| It is unclear what it contains. | It is unclear what it contains. |
| May polls? | May polls? |
| Mr Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) split with its coalition partner, the Democratic Party (DS) of Mr Tadic, over policy towards the EU in the wake of Kosovo's independence declaration. | Mr Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) split with its coalition partner, the Democratic Party (DS) of Mr Tadic, over policy towards the EU in the wake of Kosovo's independence declaration. |
| The outgoing prime minister has maintained that ties can improve only if the EU rejects Kosovo's declaration of independence. | The outgoing prime minister has maintained that ties can improve only if the EU rejects Kosovo's declaration of independence. |
| Belgrade has reacted angrily to an EU mission to ease Kosovo's transition. | Belgrade has reacted angrily to an EU mission to ease Kosovo's transition. |
| The government of Serbia has no united policy any more on an important issue related to the future of the country - Kosovo as a part of Serbia Vojislav Kostunica Serbian Prime Minister Profile: Vojislav Kostunica | The government of Serbia has no united policy any more on an important issue related to the future of the country - Kosovo as a part of Serbia Vojislav Kostunica Serbian Prime Minister Profile: Vojislav Kostunica |
| The DSS is backing a draft resolution from the opposition nationalist Radical Party, condemning the EU's 1,800-strong mission to Kosovo as illegal and calling on countries to overturn their decision to recognise it. | The DSS is backing a draft resolution from the opposition nationalist Radical Party, condemning the EU's 1,800-strong mission to Kosovo as illegal and calling on countries to overturn their decision to recognise it. |
| But a number of pro-Western ministers have failed to support Mr Kostunica's approach. | But a number of pro-Western ministers have failed to support Mr Kostunica's approach. |
| "The government of Serbia has no united policy any more on an important issue related to the future of the country - Kosovo as a part of Serbia," Mr Kostunica told reporters as he announced his move in Belgrade. | "The government of Serbia has no united policy any more on an important issue related to the future of the country - Kosovo as a part of Serbia," Mr Kostunica told reporters as he announced his move in Belgrade. |
| "Such a government could not function any more," he said. | "Such a government could not function any more," he said. |
| Mr Kostunica said "we should return the mandate to the people" - and added that he had scheduled a cabinet meeting on 10 March to propose calling for early elections to be held on 11 May - the date for Serbia's local elections. | Mr Kostunica said "we should return the mandate to the people" - and added that he had scheduled a cabinet meeting on 10 March to propose calling for early elections to be held on 11 May - the date for Serbia's local elections. |
| No party has a majority in the Serbian parliament. | No party has a majority in the Serbian parliament. |
| The political establishment in Serbia has been deeply divided over the way forward and a general election would be the first opportunity for the people of Serbia to express their views, says the BBC's Nick Hawton in Belgrade. | The political establishment in Serbia has been deeply divided over the way forward and a general election would be the first opportunity for the people of Serbia to express their views, says the BBC's Nick Hawton in Belgrade. |
| Kosovo's declaration of independence came nearly a decade after Nato forces expelled Serbian forces from the mainly ethnic-Albanian territory. | Kosovo's declaration of independence came nearly a decade after Nato forces expelled Serbian forces from the mainly ethnic-Albanian territory. |