Kosovo Urges EU to Condemn Serbian Minister's 'Ethnic Cleansing' Remarks

Kosovo's government has called on the European Union to issue a stronger condemnation of remarks made by Serbian Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Snežana Paunović. The government described the EU's initial response to Paunović's comments about "ethnic cleansing" in Kosovo as "limited and delayed."

Paunović, a minister from the Socialist Party of Serbia, a coalition partner of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, stated in a televised interview that she would have "ethnically cleansed Kosovo" in 1998 if she had been in Slobodan Milošević's place. The interview clip circulated widely on social media, prompting calls for her dismissal or resignation in Belgrade.

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After such statements, she can continue to perform her duties.

Kosovo declared Paunović persona non grata on July 15 due to her statement. Glauk Konjufca, Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, sent a letter to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, requesting a more robust reaction. The Kosovo government wants the EU to "clearly and publicly condemn Minister Paunović's statements, make it clear to the Serbian authorities that such rhetoric is unacceptable and contrary to European values, and seriously address this issue within the framework of the political dialogue and Serbia's accession process to the European Union."

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos had previously expressed surprise that Paunović remained a minister after such statements, calling them "shocking." Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that Paunović's remark did not reflect his stance or the Serbian government's policy, which he characterized as "dialogue, not ethnic cleansing." However, Paunović did not retract her statement, claiming her words were "taken out of context" and offering an apology to Vučić and the government for the reactions caused.

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dialogue, not ethnic cleansing