Key facts
- Bosnia expelled two Serbian diplomats and suspended a regional cooperation accord in protest of Ratko Mladic's funeral.
- Ratko Mladic, a Bosnian Serb general convicted of genocide and war crimes, received military honors at his funeral in Belgrade.
- Senior Serbian officials and the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church attended Mladic's funeral.
- EU leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, condemned the funeral as 'shocking' and a potential setback for Serbia's EU accession.
- Bosnia's Foreign Minister stated Serbia had 'crossed all red lines' with its handling of the funeral.
Bosnia expelled two Serbian diplomats and suspended plans for a regional cooperation accord in protest against Belgrade's decision to hold a lavish public funeral for former Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic. Mladic, who died while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, was buried in Belgrade with military honors, attended by thousands, including government officials and the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Bosnia's Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic stated that Serbia had "crossed all red lines" and that Bosnia would not sign documents on good neighborly relations under such circumstances. The funeral, which included a display of Mladic's image at a soccer match, drew condemnation from EU leaders, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calling the images 'shocking' and a failure to confront a dark chapter in Europe's history. The events raise concerns about Serbia's EU accession aspirations.