Pandeli Majko, the former Prime Minister of Albania during the 1999 Kosovo War, has issued a sharp response to the controversial statements made by Serbian State Administration Minister Snežana Paunović.
Majko stated that Paunović’s televised admission that she “would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo in 1998” is a heavy political liability for Belgrade’s EU integration goals and serves as an honest exposure of deep-seated chauvinist aspirations remaining within the Serbian state apparatus.
Key Highlights from Majko’s Reaction
In a public statement posted to his Facebook profile, Majko warned that the minister’s words should not be shrugged off as an isolated incident, but rather viewed as a continuous thread of Slobodan Milošević’s wartime policy.
- A “Weight” on Belgrade’s EU Path: Majko emphasized that having a sitting government minister openly endorse ethnic cleansing creates an untenable burden on the Serbian government as it tries to project a pro-European, reformed image to Brussels.
- The Frustration of a Lost War: He noted that the rhetoric stems from historical resentment:“The memory of a lost war makes peace frustrating!”— Pandeli Majko, Former Prime Minister of Albania
- Honest Exposure of Collective Will: Majko argued that Paunović spoke with a dangerous level of “sincerity,” exposing a collective willpower that “unfortunately still exists within the political and state structures of Serbia.”
- A Continuation of Milošević’s Legacy: He asserted that her public remarks are not simply an act of “courage” but a direct continuation of the policies of Slobodan Milošević, who was ultimately jailed in The Hague for war crimes. Majko drew a sharp contrast to the ongoing judicial processes against former KLA (UÇK) leaders, asserting that the defensive, liberating nature of their struggle cannot be equated with organized state terror.
Political Context: Why Majko’s Reaction Carries Weight
Majko’s intervention adds significant regional weight to an issue that has already caused a major political crisis within Belgrade.
| Attribute | Pandeli Majko (Albania) | Snežana Paunović (Serbia) |
| Current Role | Prominent Socialist Party politician & former MP | Minister of State Administration & Vice President of the SPS |
| Wartime Context (1998-1999) | Prime Minister of Albania (managed the massive humanitarian crisis and exodus of over 500,000 Kosovo refugees). | Born in Peja (Kosovo); early career member of Milošević’s Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS). |
| Stance on the Issue | Accuses Belgrade of preserving the criminal doctrine of the 1990s. | Defends her statement as “grief and disappointment” over the loss of Kosovo. |
By pointing out that “it is our memories that define us,” Majko argued that the current Serbian administration’s silence on Paunović’s remarks proves that the regional push for normalization is being undermined from within Belgrade’s own cabinet.
