Instead of apologizing or withdrawing her statement that she “would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo in 1998,” Serbian Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Snežana Paunović has attempted to justify it by claiming she was referring to “terrorists.” However, while the wording has changed, the substance of her message remains the same.
During a televised appearance, Paunović questioned why Europe was criticizing her remarks, stating:
“I would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo of terrorists. Yes, I would have done it—not only Kosovo, but I would rid the entire world of terrorists for the sake of innocent victims. What is controversial about that?”
Rather than distancing herself from the term “ethnic cleansing,” Paunović chose to defend its use by merely changing the claimed target of the statement. She did not retract her words or express regret. Instead, she sought to reframe them as a legitimate counterterrorism position.
But the controversy has never been about the word “terrorists.” It stems from the fact that a sitting Serbian minister continues to justify and normalize the use of the term “ethnic cleansing”—a term universally associated with crimes against humanity and one that carries profound historical significance in the context of the Kosovo war.
Far from clarifying her original statement, Paunović’s latest remarks amount to an attempt to rationalize it. By changing the explanation while preserving the core message, she has reinforced rather than dispelled concerns over the rhetoric coming from a member of Serbia’s current government.
