Tatjana Lazarević, the editor-in-chief of the prominent North Kosovan news portal KoSSev, has strongly condemned recent statements made by Serbian Minister Snežana Paunović.
Paunović’s remarks regarding the “ethnic cleansing of Kosovo” were described by Lazarević as a “verbal Banjska”—drawing a direct comparison to the violent, armed escalation that shook the village of Banjska in northern Kosovo in September 2023.
A Three-Tiered Crisis of Rhetoric
Speaking in a live interview on regional broadcaster N1, Lazarević categorized the minister’s rhetoric as deeply problematic across three distinct levels:
- Civilizational Level: It reflects a backward approach to modern coexistence and human values.
- Public Aspect: It poisons the current informational ecosystem with hostile narratives.
- Political Level: It actively destabilizes fragile regional dynamics instead of fostering diplomatic dialogue.
Comparing Rhetoric to the Banjska Attack
By calling the comments a “moderated version” of the Banjska attack, Lazarević warned about the destructive power of weaponized political language.
“A verbal Banjska” — Tatjana Lazarević, Editor-in-Chief of KoSSev
She characterized Minister Paunović’s statement as a textbook example of hate speech, asserting that such dangerous declarations either stem from thoughtless political posturing or represent a profound lack of empathy—not only toward other ethnic groups in the region but toward the Serbian population itself.
