Top European Union leaders expressed astonishment 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. This event raised concerns about Serbia’s suitability for EU membership.
Mladic was laid to rest in Belgrade with military honors, with Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church officiating the funeral service and Serbian army soldiers carrying his flag-draped coffin. Despite Mladic being convicted as the “Butcher of Bosnia” for perpetrating Europe’s first genocide post-World War II, he continues to be revered as a hero among many Serbs.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa expressed disappointment over the official support and attendance of senior Serbian officials at Mladic’s funeral, labeling it as a failure to address a dark period in Europe’s past. They highlighted the contradiction with the values necessary for Serbia’s progression towards EU integration.
Regarding the impact on Serbia’s EU membership bid, von der Leyen’s spokesperson mentioned that they are currently assessing the situation. The absence of President Aleksandar Vucic at the funeral was notable, with his son Danilo present. Noteworthy attendees included Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik and the Russian ambassador in Serbia, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko.
Serbia’s Justice Minister Nenad Vujic attended the funeral alongside Mladic’s family, emphasizing that authorities ensured order during the ceremony while deferring leadership to the family. Mladic was convicted by the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for perpetrating genocide during the Srebrenica massacre in 1995 and the siege of Sarajevo, resulting in thousands of deaths.
In response to the Serbian officials’ involvement in Mladic’s funeral, Britain summoned Serbia’s charge d’affaires to condemn the actions, stating that glorifying a war criminal undermines reconciliation and regional stability in the Western Balkans. The upcoming EU enlargement report, expected in late October or early November, will evaluate the progress of candidate countries like Serbia towards EU membership.
Vucic, once an extreme nationalist, described the funeral as an emotional moment, balancing his support base, including Mladic admirers, ahead of an upcoming parliamentary election. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos previously warned that the funeral would test Serbia’s alignment with EU values, leading to the cancellation of her visit to Serbia due to the glorification of Mladic’s death.
The funeral’s impact on Serbia’s EU aspirations is concerning, particularly amid existing concerns about democratic regression. Despite ties between Vucic’s SNS party and the European People’s Party, the EPP has faced criticism for accommodating Vucic’s actions. Slovenian Green MEP Vladimir Prebilic urged the EPP to distance itself from the SNS party’s support for convicted war criminals.
The EPP’s association with Vucic’s party echoes its past ties with Hungary’s Fidesz party, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. While the EPP initially supported Fidesz, concerns over democracy and rule of law led to Fidesz’s suspension from the group in 2019, followed by its withdrawal in 2021.
