The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, issued a strong response following remarks made by the Serbian Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government, Snezhana Paunoviq. The controversy arose after Ms. Paunoviq made a statement suggesting that she would have engaged in the “ethnic cleansing” of Kosovo had she held the position of Slobodan Milosevic in 1998.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, which took place after the conclusion of membership negotiations with Montenegro, Kos expressed profound concern regarding the content of the minister’s remarks. She explicitly stated that the European Union cannot tolerate any rhetoric that justifies or promotes acts of ethnic cleansing. Commissioner Kos emphasized that such statements represent a fundamental contradiction to European values.
“There can only be zero tolerance for such statements that we have heard,” Kos stated. She continued, asserting that there is no acceptable place within the European sphere for any discourse that advocates for or glorifies ethnic cleansing. The commissioner’s reaction underscored the EU’s commitment to adherence to international law and human rights principles.
Her dismay highlighted the deep division between the stated principles of European integration and the historical revisionism presented in the minister’s declaration. The comments prompted an immediate and firm rebuke from the Commissioner, reinforcing the EU’s zero-tolerance policy regarding such historical narratives.
Topics: #kos #minister #declaration
