Declared ‘Non Grata’ by Kosovo, Lawyer Accuses Serbian Minister: She Continues Milosevic’s Policy

Serbian Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Snezhana Paunovic was recently declared persona non grata by Kosovo following a provocative statement that reopened wounds from the past. She said that if she had been in Slobodan Milosevic’s position in 1998, she would have carried out ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.

The European Union also reacted to this scandalous stance. Although European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper explained that the institution does not usually comment on individual politicians’ statements, she reiterated that the bloc’s principles are unwavering. According to her, no form of language that supports, justifies or downplays war crimes and ethnic cleansing is tolerated on the European continent.

The European official stressed that respect for fundamental human rights, the promotion of peace and the reconciliation process in the region are pillars of EU values, describing all expressions that run counter to them as unacceptable.

On the matter, Albanian lawyer Spartak Ngjela gave an interview to the newspaper “Bota Sot”, in which he sharply criticized the Serbian minister’s stance. According to him, Brussels’ response confirms that Kosovo’s liberation war is viewed as a just conflict and that the EU rejects every narrative or policy from Belgrade that challenges the independence of Europe’s newest state.

“This proves that the European Union regards the Kosovo war as a legitimate battle for national freedom, fully consistent with human rights,” Ngjela stressed, adding that for this reason Serbian anti-independence positions are entirely unacceptable to the union.

The lawyer described Paunovic’s statements as evidence of a dangerous continuation of the mentality of the Milosevic regime. He characterized this approach as a profound intellectual backwardness among certain Serbian circles, which, he said, have continued for two centuries to spread untruths against Albanians.

“That minister is simply a worthless remnant of the Milosevic era,” Ngjela said, describing Kosovo’s independence as a major achievement for the Albanian nation. He described Kosovo as the historic trophy of a victory against a centuries-long and brutal occupation in the lands of Dardania, concluding that Albanians today are enjoying their most important historical success.