Aleksandar Vučić has acknowledged that Serbian forces committed war crimes during the war in Kosovo, but simultaneously attempted to draw parallels by claiming that Albanians and foreign forces committed crimes as well.
Speaking on the podcast The Rest Is Politics, hosted by Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, Vučić addressed regional issues, including the Kosovo conflict.
He stated that while Serbia had previously denied responsibility, war crimes by Serbian forces did occur. However, he added that, according to his view, crimes were also committed against Serbs by Albanians and foreign troops.
“This was happening on both sides. We exaggerated from our side by denying crimes, but there were crimes. At the same time, there were many crimes committed against us,” Vučić said, attempting to frame the conflict as balanced in terms of wrongdoing.
Regarding the NATO intervention in 1999, Vučić described it as the opening of a “Pandora’s box,” suggesting it set a precedent that cannot be reversed.
He also claimed that many Serbs today feel deep dissatisfaction and resentment over the intervention, arguing it led to the separation of what he described as “14% of Serbia’s territory.” Vučić further asserted that the intervention was not in line with the United Nations Charter and was not primarily aimed at preventing a humanitarian catastrophe.
When asked about similarities between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, Vučić stated that while there may be some common roots in regional conflicts, the legal circumstances differ.
His remarks are likely to draw criticism, particularly for attempting to equate responsibility despite extensive documentation of systematic crimes committed during the Kosovo war.
