Kosovo has banned Serbian government minister Snežana Paunović from entering the country after comments she made about the 1998 conflict sparked strong criticism from Kosovo officials.
Paunović, Serbia’s Minister of Public Administration and Local Self Government, was declared persona non grata after saying in an interview that, if she had been in the position of former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milošević during the Kosovo war, she would have carried out what she described as “ethnic cleansing” in Kosovo.
The statement, made during an interview with Serbian television network Kurir, quickly drew backlash. Paunović later said her words had been misunderstood, explaining that she was not referring to the physical elimination of Albanians but to the departure of people who did not identify as citizens of the former Yugoslavia.
She also argued that anyone involved in what she called terrorist activities should have been treated as terrorists.
Under the decision announced by Kosovo authorities, Paunović is now prohibited from entering Kosovo or traveling through its territory.
Kosovo Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla condemned the remarks, saying they reflect ideas linked to past policies that caused violence and suffering during the conflict in Kosovo.
Sveçla said statements promoting ethnic division or questioning Kosovo’s sovereignty must be firmly rejected. He added that any attempt to bring back political ideas connected to ethnic cleansing would face a strong legal and institutional response.
“The time when Albanians were oppressed, killed and subjected to ethnic cleansing is over forever,” Sveçla wrote in a statement shared on social media.
The latest dispute highlights the continuing political tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, whose relationship remains deeply affected by the legacy of the 1998 to 1999 Kosovo war and ongoing disagreements over Kosovo’s status.
