Serbian minister's 'ethnic cleansing' remarks draw condemnation

A statement by Serbian Minister Snežana Paunović, suggesting she would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo in 1998 if she had been in Slobodan Milošević's position, has ignited a firestorm of criticism. The remarks surfaced on a day when four other Balkan nations were opening new negotiation clusters with the European Union, highlighting Serbia's divergent path.

While Prime Minister Ana Brnabić remained silent, President Aleksandar Vučić stated that Paunović's comment does not reflect his or the government's policy. He characterized the statement as careless and irresponsible. The minister, who is from Kosovo, made the remarks as Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, and Montenegro advanced in their EU accession talks, casting a shadow over Serbia's own European aspirations.

Civil society organizations and international bodies have strongly condemned the minister's rhetoric. Tatjana Lazarević, editor-in-chief of the KoSSev portal, described the statement as a prime example of hate speech, questioning the minister's basic civilizational regard for her own people and others. The European Union's National Convention on the EU stated that Europe has no place for ethnic cleansing rhetoric, adding that Serbia seems content with its current stalled progress on its EU path.

Students also voiced their opposition, deeming the minister's statement unacceptable and contrary to the constitution, human rights, and human dignity. They emphasized that a democratic society cannot justify calls for ethnic cleansing, whether as a historical hypothesis, political message, or personal opinion. The Democratic Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians has called on the prosecution to investigate whether the minister's statement incited national, religious, and racial hatred, questioning the silence of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, a partner of the Socialist Party from which Paunović hails.