Acting Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns Nenad Rašić has strongly condemned recent remarks made by Serbian Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Snežana Paunović, saying he was shocked by what he described as the continued use of hate speech by Serbia’s political leadership.
His comments came a day after Kosovo declared Paunović persona non grata following her statement that, had she been in the position of former Serbian President Slobodan Milošević, she would have carried out the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo in 1998.
Kosovo’s acting Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, signed the decision permanently banning Paunović from entering or transiting through the territory of the Republic of Kosovo. Authorities said the measure was taken in response to her remarks, which were widely condemned as incitement to hatred and a revival of the rhetoric associated with the Kosovo war.
Speaking to RTK, Rašić said he was deeply disturbed by Paunović’s comments and described them as unacceptable.
“I was shocked the moment I heard what a senior official in such a high-ranking position was capable of saying. This demonstrates that the structure which has unfortunately taken over the institutions in Belgrade must change as soon as possible. As a human being, I cannot understand that even after 27 years we are still dealing with the same people and the same vocabulary, where hatred remains the main mechanism of political action. Above all, I am shocked as a person,” Rašić said.
Rašić also argued that Serbia’s political leadership remains dominated by figures who have been in power for decades, including President Aleksandar Vučić and Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić. According to him, while their methods may have evolved, their overall political approach has remained unchanged.
“The key figures in the political establishment are the same, from President Vučić to Ivica Dačić, who have been there for more than 35 years. I do not expect condemnation or criticism from them. On the contrary, this is what has brought us once again to the conclusion that there is a dictatorship in Belgrade. Those people should be replaced as soon as possible because their statements, above all, harm the Serbs of Kosovo,” Rašić said.
Paunović’s remarks have drawn widespread criticism in Kosovo, with officials describing them as inflammatory and incompatible with efforts to promote reconciliation and regional stability.
