The Speaker of the Serbian Parliament, Ana Brnabić, has once again stirred controversy by using the derogatory term “Shiptari” while addressing opposition MPs during a parliamentary session on March 4. This offensive rhetoric, previously ruled as politically incorrect and discriminatory by Serbian courts, continues to be used by high-ranking officials despite legal prohibitions.
Brnabić, a key figure in Serbia’s ruling Progressive Party, repeatedly referred to opposition lawmakers as “stars of Albanian media” and accused them of aligning with Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti. Her remarks were made after opposition MPs disrupted the session by throwing smoke bombs.
The use of the term “Shiptari” has long been associated with ethnic slurs against Albanians in Serbia, particularly those living in the southern municipalities of Preshevo, Bujanovac, and Medvegja. Human rights organizations, including the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM), have condemned Brnabić’s remarks as a violation of legal and ethical standards, warning that such language endangers the safety and rights of Albanians in Serbia.
Despite a court ruling that deemed the term offensive and a statement from the Serbian Commissioner for Equality confirming its discriminatory nature, officials like Brnabić and other government figures—including former ministers Aleksandar Vulin and Marko Đurić—continue to use it in official discourse.
Critics argue that the persistence of such rhetoric reflects a broader institutional culture of discrimination. Ardita Sinani, the mayor of Presevo, warned that Brnabić’s remarks signal a growing hostility toward Albanians in Serbia.
While ethnic tensions remain a sensitive issue in the region, opposition leaders and rights groups demand accountability from Serbian authorities to prevent further normalization of hate speech at the highest levels of government.
