BELGRADE, July 16 (BV) – Fifty-three opposition lawmakers in Serbia have formally requested the dismissal of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Minister Snežana Paunović after she said she would have “ethnically cleansed” Kosovo if she had been in Slobodan Milošević’s position in 1998.
The initiative was launched by Shaip Kamberi, the only ethnic Albanian member of Serbia’s parliament, and was submitted to Serbian Prime Minister Đuro Macut with the support of 52 other opposition deputies.
Kamberi said Paunović’s remarks had caused fear and insecurity among ethnic Albanians in Serbia’s Preševo Valley and were incompatible with the responsibilities of a government minister.
Paunović made the statement during a television interview while discussing Serbia’s policy towards Kosovo during the rule of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević.
She later said her words had been taken out of context and apologised to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the government, but declined to apologise to Kosovo Albanians.
Kosovo responded by permanently declaring Paunović persona non grata, barring her from entering the country.
Kosovo’s acting justice minister, Donika Gërvalla, also filed a criminal complaint against Paunović, saying rhetoric that glorifies ethnic cleansing could not be treated as ordinary political speech.
Gërvalla asked Kosovo’s chief state prosecutor to investigate the minister and determine whether charges should be brought over incitement to hatred and division.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos condemned the remarks and said there could be “zero tolerance” for rhetoric that promotes or glorifies ethnic cleansing.
Kos said she was shocked that such language was still being used in Europe and questioned how Paunović could continue serving as a minister.
The United States called on political leaders to use constructive language that supports peace and the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, while Britain also condemned the statement.
Kosovo’s chief negotiator in the EU-mediated dialogue with Serbia raised the issue with EU envoy Peter Sørensen, arguing that the remarks violated the spirit of the agreements reached between Belgrade and Pristina.
Paunović’s statement has intensified tensions between Kosovo and Serbia and placed renewed pressure on Vučić’s government as Belgrade seeks progress towards European Union membership.
Serbia does not recognise Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence and continues to regard it as part of its territory. Kosovo, whose population is overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian, declared independence nearly a decade after the 1998-1999 war ended with NATO intervention and the withdrawal of Serbian forces.
The controversy has also revived scrutiny of Serbia’s political rhetoric towards Kosovo at a time when the European Union is attempting to restart the stalled normalisation dialogue.
The Serbian government has not announced whether it will accept the opposition’s request or remove Paunović from office.