German and EU Officials Call for Serbian Minister’s Dismissal over Kosovo Statement

A statement by Serbia’s Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Snezhana Paunovic, has sparked strong international reactions. She said that, had she been in Slobodan Milosevic’s position in 1998, she would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo.

Senior officials from Germany and the European Union condemned the position, calling it unacceptable and demanding her removal from office.

Michael Gahler, a German Member of the European Parliament from the European People’s Party (EPP), stressed that such statements cannot be ignored when they come from a minister of a country seeking EU membership.

“Such statements by a minister of a candidate country cannot be ignored: on July 11, Serbian Minister Paunovic said in a television interview that, if she had been in Milosevic’s position in 1998, she ‘would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo of Albanians.’”

“I expect her to be dismissed from office,” Gahler wrote on platform X.

Jasmina Hostert, a German Bundestag member for the Böblingen constituency, also reacted to the Serbian minister’s remarks. According to her, Paunovic’s statement constitutes a violation of human rights and international law.

“It is unacceptable. Anyone who justifies ethnic cleansing is mocking the victims of the Kosovo War and violating human rights and international law,” Hostert wrote.

She also called for Paunovic’s removal from office.

“There must be no place for such words in a democratic government; they harm peace in the Western Balkans. The minister must resign,” the German lawmaker stated.

Adis Ahmetovic, a Bundestag member for Northern Hanover, also responded.

“The countries of the Western Balkans belong in the European Union. This includes Serbia. But a spirit of nationalism and hatred emanating from certain governments has no place in our European community of values,” Ahmetovic wrote.

According to him, Belgrade should respond to the matter by immediately dismissing Paunovic.

The European Commission also issued a statement. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said she could not imagine Paunovic remaining a minister after such “terrible” statements.

Meanwhile, Kosovo’s institutions have declared Snezhana Paunovic persona non grata.