04.09.2026 15:21
The body of Ratko Mladic, who was sentenced to life imprisonment as one of the main perpetrators of the Srebrenica genocide and died in a prison in The Hague on August 27, has been brought to Serbia. The coffin draped in Serbian flags was received with a military ceremony in Belgrade, which drew widespread reaction across Europe. The EU Commission canceled its visit to Serbia, while Belgium strongly condemned the ceremony.
The military ceremony held for the genocide convict has ignited a new tension between Serbia and European countries. Reactions came in quick succession to the military ceremony held in Belgrade for Ratko Mladic's funeral.
COFFIN BROUGHT BY STATE PLANE
Ratko Mladic, 84, died on August 27 in prison in The Hague, Netherlands, where he was serving a life sentence. His body was transported from the Netherlands to Serbia by a state plane. The coffin, draped in the flags of Serbia and the Republika Srpska entity, was received with a military ceremony in Belgrade, accompanied by his son Darko and Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic. The funeral procession was then taken to a military hospital in Belgrade under police escort.
FIRST MOVE FROM THE EU: VISIT CANCELLED
Marta Kos, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, reacted strongly to the ceremony and cancelled her planned visit to Serbia. Kos said, "Mladic is a war criminal convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes." Stating that the ceremony is incompatible with EU values, Kos said, "The glorification and praise following his death are incompatible with the values on which the EU path is built. This path requires confronting the past, genuine reconciliation, and showing respect for the victims of war crimes."
STRONG REACTION FROM BELGIUM
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot also strongly condemned Serbia's decision. Prevot said, "Mladic is one of the symbolic figures of some of the most horrific atrocities in European history, especially the Srebrenica genocide. Holding such honours for his funeral is a shameful and disrespectful act towards the victims and their families. I condemn this action in the strongest terms and conveyed this message to my Serbian counterpart responsible for European affairs this morning."
THREAT OF EU MEMBERSHIP BLOCK FROM CROATIA
The statement that further escalated the controversy came from Croatia. The Croatian government announced that it would block Serbia's European Union membership process if Mladic were buried with state honours. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic also said that if top-level state and military ceremonies were held, the EU doors would close to Serbia.
HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENOCIDE IN WHICH 8,372 BOSNIAK CIVILIANS WERE KILLED
Ratko Mladic commanded Serbian forces during the Bosnian War. He was considered one of the main culprits of the Srebrenica Genocide, in which 8,372 Bosniak civilians were killed, particularly in July 1995. After the war, Mladic hid for about 16 years and was arrested in the village of Lazarevo, Serbia, on May 26, 2011, and sent to The Hague. Mladic was found guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in 2017 and sentenced to life imprisonment.