Ratko Mladić, the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’, given hero’s funeral in Serbia

Ratko Mladić, the former Bosnian Serb army chief convicted of genocide and war crimes, is being laid to rest with full military honors in Belgrade, a ceremony that directly pits Serbia’s domestic commemoration against its aspirations for European Union membership.

EU leaders reacted sharply. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the turnout as unacceptable, echoing statements from other EU institution heads who called the funeral ‘shocking’. Reuters relayed Leyen’s criticism, while Bloomberg argued that the honors given to a convicted war criminal undermine Serbia’s EU path. CNN reported that crowds gathered as Serbian officials, including senior government representatives, attended and granted Mladić full military honors. The Financial Times confirmed the presence of top Serbian officials at the ceremony. The Jerusalem Post noted that Bosnian Serb observers reflected on Mladić’s legacy, underscoring the deep regional divide over his memory.

While the ceremony signals domestic reverence for Mladić, coverage does not detail any immediate EU sanctions or procedural steps, leaving Serbia’s accession timetable uncertain. The event highlights a tension between nationalist sentiment at home and the EU’s demand for compliance with war‑crimes accountability. Analysts note that the funeral could bolster hard‑line political forces, yet the EU’s public condemnation suggests potential friction in forthcoming negotiations.