The Prime Minister of Serbia, Gjuro Macut, issued a statement following remarks made by the Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government, Snezhana Paunoviq. The controversy arose after the minister reportedly stated that she would have carried out what she termed the “ethnic cleansing of Kosovo” if she were in the position of Slobodan Milošević. In response to the comments, the Prime Minister emphasized that personal declarations made by government members cannot be construed as the official policy of Serbia.
Macut asserted that the entire Serbian executive branch remains fundamentally committed to principles of peace, dialogue, and adherence to international law. The Prime Minister clarified the boundaries between individual commentary and state doctrine. He stated, “Personal views, whether partially formulated in a misleading manner or taken out of context, regardless of who expressed them, cannot and should not be presented as the official policy of the Government.”
This clarification was aimed at managing the public perception of the government’s stance following the controversial remarks from the minister.
Macut stressed that the overarching policy direction of the nation is built upon maintaining stability and protecting national interests through diplomatic means. The Prime Minister’s remarks sought to definitively separate the personal opinions of a government minister from the established, official policy of the Serbian state.
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