"You know my answer. It's short and clear: Never!" Tadic said when asked by the press if he would ever recognise the independence of Serbia's former province.

This morning he attended a liturgy on Orthodox Christmas at the Visoki Decani monastery in southwest Kosovo, arriving last night.

On the way to Decani, Albanian protesters stoned a motorcade with Tadic and a state delegation near Decani in southwest Kosovo. A group of about 200 Kosovo Albanians, activists of the Self-Determination Movement, threw stones at the motorcade which was escorted by members of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX).

The Self-Determination Movement said 20 of its activists were injured in clashes with police and that they sought medical assistance in a Decani hospital.

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said in Belgrade that Serbia's most important goals this year were a strong state, an efficient and responsible government, Serbian concord, a compromise with Europe, and dialogue with Pristina.

Serbia should be as present as possible in Kosovo and everywhere where Serbian interests are being defended, Dacic told Tanjug news agency.