EU Warns Serbia Over War Criminal's Funeral

The United Kingdom summoned a Serbian diplomat in response to reports of nationalist displays at a funeral for Ratko Mladić, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb Army convicted of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. Mladić, infamously known as the 'Butcher of Bosnia,' died behind bars in The Hague serving a life sentence.

The European Union has warned Serbia that public commemorations for Mladić are incompatible with EU values and risk undermining the country's accession bid. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos stated that the glorification of war criminals has no place in the EU or its candidate countries and announced the cancellation of her planned visit to Serbia.

A Serbian government official, speaking anonymously, insisted that the commemorative gathering was organized by the Association of Retired Generals, not by the Ministry of Defense or the General Staff, and that Mladić would not receive a state burial in prominent cemeteries. Despite this, Mladić's coffin was draped in a Serbian flag and flown to Belgrade on a government plane for a service expected to draw thousands.

Prominent Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik commented that Mladić was respected by the Serbian people and defended Serbs. Ireland's Europe Minister Thomas Byrne also stated that while it was not a state funeral, senior figures memorializing Mladić was unacceptable and urged for reconciliation in the region.