In an exclusive interview with Gazeta Express, prominent Serbian politician and activist from Vojvodina, Nenad Čanak, delivered a blistering critique of Serbian State Administration Minister Snežana Paunović.
Čanak’s reaction comes in the wake of Paunović’s highly controversial statement that, had she been in Slobodan Milošević’s position in 1998, she would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo. Responding to these remarks, Čanak did not hold back, calling the minister “an idiot” and describing the current ruling establishment as a symptom of deep-seated ideological issues within Serbian society.
Key Arguments from Čanak’s Interview
- A Symptom of Societal Ills: Čanak asserted that the current government in Belgrade is not an anomaly, but rather a “symptom of the fascist nature of Serbian society at this moment.”
- The Unpunished Legacy of the 1990s: He argued that such scandalous rhetoric from a sitting minister was entirely predictable because Serbia has never truly faced a political or moral trial for the state policies of the Slobodan Milošević era.
- The Failure of the Hague Tribunal’s Legacy: While acknowledging that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) did important work in prosecuting specific war crimes, Čanak argued it ultimately failed to help Serbian democracy. He explained that the court failed to prosecute the “political background” and ideology that drove the wars, allowing those same structures to survive and re-emerge today.
- No Light at the End of the Tunnel: Čanak expressed deep pessimism regarding Serbia’s geopolitical path, stating that he currently sees no critical mass of citizens willing to stand up and defend European values in the country.
In His Own Words: Excerpts from the Interview
“It is obvious that the current government in Serbia is a symptom of the fascist nature of Serbian society at this moment. This was entirely predictable, because we have never had a proper political reckoning or judgment regarding Slobodan Milošević’s policies throughout the 1990s.”
— Nenad Čanak for Gazeta Express
“There is no light at the end of the tunnel in Serbia at this moment.”
— Nenad Čanak
The Broader Political Context
The fallout from Minister Paunović’s remarks continues to reverberate across the Western Balkans. For regional observers, Čanak’s commentary highlights the widening domestic chasm in Serbia between regional pro-Western reformers and the dominant ruling coalition.
| Position | Snežana Paunović (SPS) | Nenad Čanak (LSV / Vojvodina) |
| Political Alignment | Ruling Coalition (SPS – Milošević’s former party) | Regionalist, Pro-European Opposition |
| View on 1990s Policy | Expresses regret that Milošević did not carry out more drastic measures in Kosovo in 1998. | Demands a thorough, systemic condemnation of 1990s war policies and chauvinism. |
| Outlook on EU Integration | Claims to support EU path while retaining nationalist rhetoric. | Believes Serbia’s current path is incompatible with genuine European values. |
