Serbia honors Ratko Mladic as EU warns against glorifying war criminal

Following the death of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic at age 84 in a Hague detention facility, torchlight processions were held in Belgrade and Novi Sad to honor him. Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vucic stated that Mladic would be buried in Serbia with the highest state honors, while President Aleksandar Vucic noted that the burial location would depend on the wishes of the family.

The European Commission issued a warning regarding these developments, stating that the glorification of war criminals contradicts fundamental European values and has no place in the EU or for candidate countries. The Commission emphasized that if Mladic is buried in Serbia, the Serbian authorities must clarify what role they intend to play in the organization or the ceremony itself.

Mladic was serving a life sentence for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed during the Bosnian War. This includes the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, where approximately 8,000 Bosniaks were killed, as well as the terrorization of civilians in Sarajevo.