The European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Kosovo, Riho Terras, has stated that there should be no place in the Serbian government for politicians such as Minister Snežana Paunović.
He said that if Serbia wants to maintain any kind of constructive relationship with the European Union, Paunović should not remain part of the executive branch in Belgrade.
Terras argued that such views undermine the EU-facilitated dialogue because they are completely contrary to European values.
“This type of statement from an acting minister is unacceptable. This kind of thinking also destroys the dialogue with the EU because it is entirely contrary to EU values. In my view, a politician like S. Paunović should have no place in the Serbian government if Serbia wants to maintain any constructive relationship with the EU,” Terras told Express.
Serbian Minister Snežana Paunović sparked widespread criticism after stating in an interview that, had she been in the position of Slobodan Milošević, she would have started the “ethnic cleansing of Kosovo in 1998.”
The statement triggered strong reactions from Kosovo and international officials, while Paunović has claimed that her remarks were taken out of context.
