Top European Union officials expressed dismay on Tuesday following Serbia’s grand funeral for Ratko Mladic, a Bosnian Serb general who passed away while serving a life sentence for war crimes. The EU leaders questioned Serbia’s readiness to join their union after Mladic was laid to rest in Belgrade with full military honors. The Serbian Orthodox Church’s head, Patriarch Porfirije, conducted the funeral service, while Serbian army soldiers carried Mladic’s flag-covered coffin during the burial.
Despite Mladic being convicted of war crimes, including genocide, and dubbed the “Butcher of Bosnia,” several Serbian government ministers attended the service, reflecting the continued reverence for him among many Serbs. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa condemned the official support and presence of senior Serbian officials at the funeral, citing it as a failure to address Europe’s dark past and contradicting Serbia’s EU aspirations.
Serbia’s Justice Minister Nenad Vujic attended the funeral, standing by Mladic’s family. He emphasized that authorities maintained order to ensure a dignified event, with the family overseeing proceedings. Mladic was convicted by the UN International Criminal Tribunal for his involvement in the Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo, resulting in thousands of deaths.
The United Kingdom summoned Serbia’s charge d’affaires to denounce the participation of Serbian state and military figures in Mladic’s funeral, asserting that glorifying a war criminal undermines regional stability in the Western Balkans. The EU is set to release its annual enlargement report in the coming weeks, assessing candidate countries’ progress towards membership, including Serbia’s efforts and any identified shortcomings. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos previously warned that Mladic’s funeral would serve as a test for Serbia’s alignment with EU values, leading to the cancellation of a planned visit to the country.
Amid political complexities, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic navigates between maintaining support from Mladic sympathizers and pursuing EU accession. Vucic, a former nationalist, described the funeral as an emotional moment but faces scrutiny over balancing domestic politics with EU aspirations. The funeral’s impact on Serbia’s EU membership prospects remains uncertain, with concerns over democratic setbacks and potential financial repercussions on the horizon. The EU’s scrutiny of Serbia’s actions underscores the delicate balance between honoring the past and striving for a European future.
