Ratko Mladić funeral held in Belgrade amid regional tensions

Ratko Mladić, the former Bosnian Serb general convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity by the Hague, was buried in Belgrade on September 7. The funeral was attended by thousands, including Serbian ministers, high-ranking officials from Republika Srpska, the Russian Ambassador to Serbia, and officials from Montenegro. Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church officiated the service.

Mladić's death has sparked significant political reaction in the Balkans. Milorad Dodik, former president of Republika Srpska, described Mladić as a ‘national hero’ and characterized his death as a ‘murder.’ Mladić’s son, Darko Mladić, also alleged that his father was killed due to ‘medical negligence.’

The event occurred shortly after a football match between Red Star and Partizan, where fans displayed a banner reading ‘Direction Potočari,’ referencing the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. These developments highlight ongoing challenges regarding transitional justice, historical revisionism, and reconciliation efforts in the Western Balkans.