European Union leaders expressed strong condemnation after Serbia granted a hero’s funeral to Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb general convicted of war crimes and genocide. The decision, made on Tuesday, has intensified doubts about Serbia’s suitability for future EU membership.
Mladic was buried in Belgrade with full military honours. The Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije led the service and army personnel carried the flag‑draped coffin through the cemetery. Several Serbian ministers attended, and the man, known as the “Butcher of Bosnia,” was celebrated by many Serbs despite his conviction for orchestrating the continent’s first genocide since World War II.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa posted scathing remarks on social media, describing the images from the funeral as “shocking” and “deeply regrettable.” They said the presence of senior Serbian officials and the ceremony’s official support contradicted the values underpinning Serbia’s EU path. President Aleksandar Vučić did not attend, but his son Danilo was present, along with Bosnian Serb nationalist Milorad Dodik and Russian ambassador Alexander Botsan‑Kharchenko. Justice Minister Nenad Vujic joined Mladic’s family at the burial and said authorities ensured the event proceeded “dignified.”
The funeral has become a test for Serbia’s accession prospects. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos cancelled a planned visit and warned that glorifying a convicted war criminal is incompatible with European values. The EU’s annual enlargement assessment, due in late October or early November, will evaluate Serbia’s progress and concerns. While the EU’s top officials have yet to specify consequences, the event is unlikely to aid Serbia’s membership prospects, which were already weakened by democratic backsliding and potential loss of €1.5 billion in EU funding. The European People’s Party, closely linked to Serbia’s ruling SNS party, has faced criticism for shielding the party, mirroring past tensions with Hungary’s Fidesz party.
