The purpose, of course, is to help Mr Tadic's election campaign. For all that, this is blatant interference in the internal electoral affairs of an independent state. It is bribery, there is no other word for it, and it is reprehensible. Not for nothing was Mr Kostunica moved, reportedly, to describe this as 'an act against the state.'

In theory the European Union is horrified at the prospect of the Radical Party of Serbia (Srpska radikalna stranka, SRS) becoming not only the strongest party in the country's parliament—which it already is—but also the majority partner in a new ruling coalition after the general election on May 11.

Not the least damaging consequence of the Bush doctrine is that it dispenses with the need for public proof of aggressive intent. The Iraq invasion was justified by the same use of fraudulent evidence as was displayed in Kosovo. On balance, I believe that I was right to oppose the Kosovo war.

Violating Serbia 's territorial integrity and international law, the United States and some European countries extended recognition and demanded that the Serbian government and Serbs in Kosovo respect the "border" created through our territory.

The NATO summit in Bucharest produced a split decision on expanding the alliance. Opposition from Germany , France and other key long-time members thwarted the Bush administration's goal of offering a Membership Action Plan (the first stage of preparing a country for admission to NATO) to Georgia and Ukraine.

We are revealing no secret by saying that Serbia was at the centre of attention at Brdo. As one of our colleagues said on Saturday, we all want for Serbia the same that Slovenia – once Serbia 's fellow republic in former Yugoslavia, now presiding the EU – had achieved.

And so Serbia will have to hold elections once again. Including the constitution referendum, it is going to be, believe it or not, fifth “momentous” and “historic” vote in less than a year and a half. It's going to be the fifth successive vote in which Serbian voters will be called to vote for “better living” and “Kosovo's remaining in Serbia”.

Kosovo's recent unilateral separation from Serbia set off a firestorm of reaction from Belgrade and its allies, notably Moscow. Serbia withdrew its ambassadors from countries that jumped to recognize Kosovo's independence, while angry protesters sacked and burned the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade.