Serbian Minister of Public Administration Snizana Paunovic stated that if she had been in Slobodan Milosevic’s position in 1998, she would have conducted ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Her comments sparked a strong reaction in Belgrade and Prishtina, as well as condemnation from the European Union.
Paunovic, a long-time member of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), remarked last week that she would have acted differently than the then-Yugoslav authorities. As a Serb from Kosovo, she told Kurir TV that she would not have done to the Albanians “what they are doing today for the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo, but rather ensure that anyone who did not feel like a citizen of the SFR Yugoslavia (which then included Serbia and Montenegro) would leave the country and return to their country of origin… and those who chose terrorist acts would be dealt with as we typically confront terrorists today, not to mention back then”.
Reaction in Kosovo and Serbia
In a written statement, Paunovic emphasized that she does not renounce the policies and strategies of her party adopted during the armed uprising, nor her right to discuss mistakes or analyze what could have been done differently.
Kosovo’s Minister of Labor Andin Hoti stated in a Facebook post that Milosevic was “the ideological father of Paunovic, who ended up before an international tribunal, while Serbia left Kosovo with its tail between its legs”. He added, “Anyone who today calls for ethnic cleansing is not only a threat to Kosovo but also evidence that Serbia has not yet freed itself from Milosevic’s genocidal ideology and the criminal policy that brought wars, mass killings, and historical shame”.
The opposition Movement of Free Citizens (PSG) stated that anyone who justifies the expulsion of people based on nationality cannot remain a member of the Serbian government. The party stressed that such remarks are particularly dangerous when made by a minister responsible for ensuring the equality of citizens before state institutions. “The minister’s statement also raises questions of criminal responsibility under the law that prohibits incitement of national, racial, and religious hatred”, the PSG noted.
International Reaction and Party Position
The head of Paunovic’s party, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, called the criticism against her “shameful and hypocritical”. He argued that those who accuse her of calling for ethnic cleansing were previously silent about the ethnic cleansing of the Serb population in Kosovo.
European Commission spokesperson Anita Hipper stated that there is no place in Europe for statements that justify or promote ethnic cleansing. The European Commission emphasized that such remarks are incompatible with Serbia’s obligations within the EU-mediated dialogue to normalize relations between Belgrade and Prishtina.
Source: N1
