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EU-Serbia diplomatic tensions over war criminal funeral

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2026-09-18 15:49 UTC → 2026-09-19 12:02 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Diplomatic tensions have escalated between the European Union and Serbia following a state funeral for Ratko Mladić, a convicted war criminal, in Belgrade. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the attendance of high-ranking Serbian officials at the ceremony as “deeply regrettable,” stating that such official support demonstrates a failure to confront dark chapters of European history and contradicts the values required for Serbia’s EU integration. She later characterized scenes from the funeral as “shocking,” asserting that “honoring war criminals has no place in the European Union.” In response to the event, approximately 20 members of the European Parliament have called for the Commission to consider freezing or suspending Serbia’s accession process until the government rejects the glorification of individuals convicted of genocide and war crimes. Amidst this friction, von der Leyen’s planned tour of the Western Balkans has been finalized but will exclude Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The tour, scheduled from September 30 to October 2, will include visits to Tirana, Pristina, Podgorica, and Skopje to meet with heads of state and visit EU-funded projects. The tour will focus on the European path, gradual integration, and the implementation of the Western Balkans Growth Plan, a six billion euro initiative for the 2024–2027 period. The European Commission stated that visits to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina will occur at a later date due to upcoming parliamentary and general elections. This follows previous concerns from the Serbian Academic Community that her presence could be exploited by state-aligned media during an election period. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić characterized the decision to delay the visit as an “elegant way” to avoid the two nations, while political figure Dragan Đilas suggested the move ensures EU institutions are not used as campaign resources.

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