Konjufca Urges Kallas to Take a Stronger EU Stance on Paunoviq’s Statements

Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Glauk Konjufca has sent a letter to the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, calling on the EU to take a stronger stance on a statement by Serbian minister Snezhana Paunoviq.

Paunoviq had stated that, had she been in Slobodan Milosevic’s position in 1998, she would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo.

In his letter to Kallas, Konjufca described the statement as “deliberate glorification of war crimes,” incitement to hatred, and a threat to peace and stability in the Western Balkans.

He said that the words of an acting minister cannot be presented as an ordinary mistake. According to Konjufca, her interview contained revisionist and hostile rhetoric that undermines the dialogue on normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

The acting minister also expressed concern over the European Union’s initial response, which he described as delayed and limited.

“A clearer and stronger public response is necessary to uphold the European Union’s commitment to preventing atrocity crimes, rejecting hate speech and combating historical revisionism,” the letter states.

In the document, Konjufca calls on the EU to openly and clearly condemn Minister Paunoviq’s statement, remind Serbian institutions that such statements are incompatible with European values and the accession process, and address the issue in political dialogue with Serbia and in the process of European integration.

He also asked Kallas to hold a meeting or telephone conversation on the matter as soon as possible.

In concluding the letter, Konjufca stressed that Kosovo remains committed to multiethnic democracy, the rule of law and the protection of the rights of all communities. He underlined that ethnic cleansing and collective punishment remain unacceptable in every form.