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 Kosova's declaration of independence.

Kostunica, a moderate nationalist, has described the decision by EU states to recognize Kosova as illegal.

Serbian President Boris Tadic says Belgrade will only be able to defend its right to Kosova if it joins the EU.

Kosova declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February.

The United States and major EU countries have recognized it as independent.

Serbia, backed by its ally, Russia, says it will never accept an independent Kosova.

The government in Belgrade has allegedly agreed a secret plan against Kosova and countries that recognize it.

It is unclear what it contains.

May polls?

Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) split with its coalition partner, the Democratic Party (DS) of Tadic, over policy towards the EU in the wake of Kosova's independence declaration.

The outgoing prime minister has maintained that ties can improve only if the EU rejects Kosova's declaration of independence.

Belgrade has reacted angrily to an EU mission to ease Kosova's transition.

The DSS is backing a draft resolution from the opposition nationalist Radical Party, condemning the EU's 1,800-strong mission to Kosova as illegal and calling on countries to overturn their decision to recognize it.

But a number of pro-Western ministers have failed to support Kostunica's approach.

"The government of Serbia has no united policy any more on an important issue related to the future of the country - Kosova as a part of Serbia," Kostunica told reporters as he announced his move in Belgrade.

"Such a government could not function any more," he said.

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.

PHOTO CAPTION 

Serbian PM Vojislav Kostunica

BBC