Session of the Foreign Affairs Committee interrupted after Serbian minister’s statements on ethnic cleansing in Kosovo

The proceedings of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Albanian Parliament were interrupted on Monday due to a heated debate sparked by statements from Snezhana Paunović, Serbia’s minister of public administration.

Paunović, born in Peja, had mentioned ethnic cleansing in Kosovo during 1998, prompting opposition MPs Tritan Shehu and Albana Vokshi to demand accountability from the committee chairman, Igli Hasani.

The former foreign minister, now heading the Committee, faced questions about the stance of Albanian diplomacy and the lack of response to the Serbian official’s allegations.

Tensions escalated quickly, leading to a fierce verbal clash between Hasani and Vokshi. Hasani described as absurd taking lessons on composure from her, while Vokshi accused him of trying to cover up the prime minister’s silence through aggressive behavior.

At the height of the debate, Hasani called Paunović’s statement “foolish” and added that its author was a crazy scumbag. Vokshi reacted by saying that she is a minister and cannot be described as such, and called on the Committee to take an official stance.

Although Vokshi insisted that the opposition would not be silenced, Hasani asked her not to bother with him, and the tense atmosphere led to the suspension of the session.