Supporting the chauvinist, racist and hegemonic Serbian regime is a great injustice, a great mistake and a great miscalculation.
The statement by Serbian Minister Paunović regarding the ethnic cleansing of Kosova of Albanians is neither new nor surprising. It is a continuation of the centuries-old efforts of Serbia’s chauvinistic, racist, and hegemonic policies aimed at eliminating Albanians.
The projects to eliminate Albanians and seize their lands are numerous. They began with Načertanije in 1844, continued with Vaso Čubrilović’s 1937 memorandum, “The Expulsion of the Albanians,” and the 1986 Memorandum of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU), and culminated in the “Horseshoe” operation of 1998–1999, carried out by the regime of war criminal Slobodan Milošević.
Čubrilović describes in detail all the forms and methods for implementing Serbia’s inhumane plans. He openly stated that “the existence of the Serbian nation depends on the non-existence of the Albanian nation.” It must be emphasized that all Serbian plans have been the joint product of state regimes, the Serbian Academy of Sciences, and the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Fortunately, thanks to the centuries-long heroic resistance of the Albanian people in various forms, which culminated in the Kosova Liberation Army’s war for freedom and NATO’s bombing of Serbia in 1999, Serbian genocide against Albanians ultimately and shamefully failed. But Serbia’s futile dreams, manifested once again in the latest statement by Serbian Minister Paunović, continue.
It is clear that a large part of the Serbian population, even after the bombing and the defeat in four brutal wars, has still not been liberated from the myths and deceptions of a sick political class that rules by feeding the population hatred toward Albanians and other peoples of the Balkans.
A major mistake by Western countries, following Serbia’s military defeat in 1999, was the failure to “denazify” Serbian society and to free it from hatred toward other nations and from the dead myths of the Middle Ages.
The European Community, together with America, continues its misguided and failed policy of appeasing the Serbian regime, led by Milošević’s associate Aleksandar Vučić, in pursuit of illusory geostrategic interests aimed at pulling Serbia away from Russia’s grip. The Serbian regime is exploiting this situation ruthlessly and without limits.
This is also demonstrated by the weak response of European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper, as well as by the reactions—or lack thereof—of many representatives of Western countries, with the exception of an occasional member of parliament or thinker guided by strong human principles. Concrete punitive actions against the inhumane statement of Serbian Minister Paunović are completely absent.
They have failed to hold Serbia accauntable for the terrorist acts in Banjska and and the Iber-Lepenc water canal, for its refusal to sign the Brussels Agreement, and for the destabilization of Kosova and the Balkans. At the same time, they exert unjust pressure on Kosova to make additional and unilateral concessions to Serbia. They put totally unjustified sanctions against Kosova for enforcing the law and democratic order in the north which were removed years later.
Their double standard is shocking. Supporting the chauvinist, racist and hegemonic Serbian regime is a great injustice, a great mistake and a great miscalculation. The good people of the Balkans, including the good Serbs, can only hope that one day, sooner rather than later, EU and US politicians will get tired of Serbian myths, lies and manipulations.
At the same time that a high-ranking official of the Serbian criminal regime is seeking the destruction of an entire people, Europe is opening new chapters for entry into Europe, while our beloved America is opening chapters of strategic dialogue with it. What undiplomatic behavior! This only encourages Serbia to continue with its Nazi ideology and aggression in Southeast Europe. The Albanian-American community and millions of Albanians around the world are deeply disappointed.
The statement by Paunović, is insulting, offensive, criminal and very dangerous. Its purpose is to deceive Serbian voters in the upcoming elections and divert international attention from the destructive actions of the Vučić regime, which has taken no action against her, yet now presents itself as a “constructive leader committed to peace and stability.” Serbia is seeking and preparing for war. It is time for those who love peace to wake up.
The reaction of the mother country and of Albania’s illegitimate, corrupt, pro-Serbian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, is worthless and shameful. The failure of representatives of certain political parties and parts of the media in Kosova and other Albanian lands to speak out is equally shameful. Only the declaration of Paunović non-grata by Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla and the filing of a lawsuit by Justice Minister Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz have value and real meaning.
One thing is clear. Many international diplomats and politicians are trying to resolve the conflict created solely by Serbia by giving Serbia what it wants at the expense of Kosova. This is not acceptable. The people of Kosova, led by their uncorrupted, strong and democratic leader, Albin Kurti, are opposing this injustice with their votes and peacefully.
The long-suffering Albanian people of Kosova are grateful and respect the support for the liberation from Serbia of America and the democratic European states, but if they are forced by them to lose their freedom and independence, then their help becomes worthless. The Albanian nation sincerely loves America and the West, but it loves freedom more than anyone or anything else in the world. Freedom and independence are not negotiable.
Let everyone—Albanian patriots and non-patriots alike, as well as all international actors with differing views and interests—understand this: without the punishment of Serbian criminals, the removal of Serbia’s chauvinistic, racist, and hegemonic government, and the denazification of that part of the Serbian population burdened by hatred toward others, there will never be lasting calm, security, stability and peace in the Balkans. Period.
Agim Aliçkaj
New York, July 21, 2026