Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac on Monday visited Serb-dominated town of Gracanica, near the Kosovo capital Pristina, claiming EU missions in Kosovo would be illegal.

"I don't know how EU may bring EULEX (Law and Justice Mission) in Kosovo, since it doesn't have a legal basis to come here," said Sutanovac.

Sutanovac, senior official of Serbian President Tadic's Democratic Party, visited Kosovo to bring medical aid to ethnic Serbs in Gracanica.

He met local people, but was faced with fierce critics over the Serbian government's policies in Kosovo.

Kosovo Serbs demand from Sutanovac better state protection rather medical aid.

Sutanovac used the occasion to call on ethnic Serbs to vote for "moderates" in the Serbian May 11 general and local elections.

"Serbia's ability to defend Serb community in Kosovo will be smaller, if you don't vote for the candidates that supports EU integration," said Sutanovac.

Kosovo's Serbs usually vote for Serbia's nationalist parties.

Serbia will hold the elections in Kosovo despite the objections from Kosovo's Albanian-dominated government, the first since Kosovo's self-claimed independence in February.

The EULEX is expected to start its operation on June 15, to supervise Law and Justice in Kosovo, with some limited powers.

(Xinhua News Agency May 6, 2008)