Key facts
- Ratko Mladić, convicted of genocide and war crimes, was buried in Belgrade with military and religious honors.
- The funeral drew condemnation from the European Union, with officials stating it contradicts fundamental European values.
- European Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos canceled a planned visit to Serbia due to the "glorification" of Mladić.
- Despite government claims of non-involvement, a government plane flew Mladić's body, and Serbian Armed Forces members escorted the coffin.
- Senior Serbian officials, including the Defense and Justice ministers, and the Russian Ambassador attended the funeral.
- EU lawmakers have called for freezing pre-accession payments to Serbia, citing concerns over democratic decline and rule of law.
Serbia's European Union accession hopes were further jeopardized by the funeral of Ratko Mladić, a former army commander convicted of genocide and war crimes. The ceremony, attended by thousands in Belgrade and featuring military and religious honors, drew sharp criticism from Brussels.
European officials condemned the event, with Christian Wigand, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service, stating that any glorification of war criminals contradicts fundamental European values. Marta Kos, the European Enlargement Commissioner, canceled a planned visit to Belgrade in response to what she called the "glorification" of Mladić.
The Serbian government officially denied organizing the funeral, yet state involvement was evident. Mladić's body was transported on a government plane, and members of the Serbian Armed Forces escorted the coffin. The funeral mass was led by Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church, a close ally of President Aleksandar Vučić. Senior Serbian officials, including the Defense and Justice ministers, as well as Danilo Vučić, the president's son, and Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko, were in attendance.
President Vučić, who has positioned himself as a pragmatic leader while pursuing EU membership, did not attend the funeral, opting instead to meet with the president of Uzbekistan. Critics accuse Vučić of fostering domestic nationalism. Justice Minister Nenad Vujić defended citizens' right to pay respects, stating that "the punishment ends with death."
Mladić remains a symbol for many nationalists in Serbia. Murals and public tributes have appeared since his death, and a football match featured a banner with his image. Neighboring countries like Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo have condemned the events. Bosnia has filed criminal complaints against those promoting Mladić's image.
Analysts suggest that the EU's outrage is overdue, given the perceived rehabilitation of Mladić by successive Serbian governments. Srdjan Majstorović of the European Policy Center in Belgrade noted that such events are unsurprising given the current regime. Ahead of the funeral, 29 EU lawmakers urged the European Commission to freeze pre-accession payments to Serbia, citing concerns over spyware deployment and the country's overall rule-of-law record.
Serbia's EU accession bid, which began in 2014, has stalled, with no new negotiating chapters opened since December 2021. The country faces opposition from eight member states due to its rule-of-law record and its refusal to sanction Russia over the war in Ukraine. Ukraine and Moldova are now ranked ahead of Serbia in their EU accession progress.