The European Union on Tuesday condemned the statement made by Serbia's Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Snezhana Paunovic, who said that if she had been in the place of former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic, she would have “ethnically cleansed Kosovo.”

At a press conference, European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper said that the EU does not comment on individual statements, but stressed that there is no place in Europe for rhetoric that justifies or promotes ethnic cleansing.

“Such statements are contrary to the values of human dignity, reconciliation, accountability, and good neighbourly relations on which the European Union is built. They also run counter to the commitments Serbia has undertaken within the EU-facilitated dialogue on the normalization of relations with Kosovo. Therefore, we expect all leaders to refrain from any inflammatory rhetoric and to contribute to an environment of trust and stability in the region,” she said, reports KosovaPress.

As reported by KosovaPress, Paunovic said on Saturday in an interview with Serbian television channel Kurir that if she had had the same freedom of action as Slobodan Milosevic in 1999, she would have “ethnically cleansed Kosovo.”

Her remarks have sparked reactions in Kosovo, Albania, and Serbia.