The US State Department has reacted after the statement of Serbian Minister Snezhana Paunovic, who said that, if she had been in the place of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic in 1998, she would have "ethnically cleansed Kosovo".
In a response to Gazeta Express, a spokesperson for the US State Department emphasized that the priority of the United States in the Western Balkans remains maintaining peace and stability, while the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is a key element in achieving this objective.
"The US priority in the Western Balkans is peace and stability. Normalizing relations between Serbia and Kosovo is a necessary part of that. We encourage political leaders to use constructive language to advance this goal in good faith," the State Department spokesperson stated.
Paunovic's statement caused strong reactions in Kosovo, as it referred to the 1998-1999 war and former president Slobodan Milosevic, who is considered responsible for repressive policies against Kosovo Albanians.
Following this statement, the Kosovo authorities declared Paunović persona non grata, prohibiting his entry and transit through the territory of the Republic of Kosovo.
