Top European Union leaders expressed dismay on Tuesday following Serbia’s grand funeral for Ratko Mladic, a Bosnian Serb general who passed away while serving a life sentence for war crimes. The EU officials raised concerns about Serbia’s suitability for joining their union.
Mladic was laid to rest in Belgrade with full military honors, led by Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The funeral procession, including Serbian army soldiers carrying Mladic’s flag-draped coffin, was attended by several Serbian government ministers, despite Mladic’s notorious reputation as the “Butcher of Bosnia” for his role in the continent’s first genocide since World War II.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa condemned the official support and attendance of senior Serbian officials at the funeral, stating that it reflects a failure to address Europe’s dark past and contradicts Serbia’s aspirations to join the EU.
In response to inquiries about the implications for Serbia’s EU membership bid, von der Leyen’s spokesperson mentioned that they are currently assessing the situation.
Although President Aleksandar Vucic did not attend the funeral, his son, Danilo, was present, alongside Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik and the Russian ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko. Justice Minister Nenad Vujic stood with Mladic’s family, emphasizing the authorities’ role in maintaining order during the funeral.
Mladic was convicted by the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for his involvement in the Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo, resulting in thousands of deaths. The UK summoned Serbia’s charge d’affaires to express condemnation of Serbian state and military officials’ participation in Mladic’s funeral, stating that glorifying a war criminal undermines regional stability.
The funeral’s aftermath is likely to impede Serbia’s EU aspirations, especially given existing concerns about democratic regression in the country. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos previously warned that the funeral would test Belgrade’s commitment to EU values, leading to the cancellation of her visit to Serbia.
As the EU prepares to release its annual enlargement report, scrutiny on Serbia’s progress towards EU membership intensifies. Von der Leyen’s upcoming tour of the Western Balkans just before the report’s publication underscores the importance of addressing such issues in the region.
The EPP, the EU’s largest political group, has faced criticism for its ties to Vucic’s party amid the Mladic funeral controversy. While Vucic’s party maintains close relations with the EPP, concerns about celebrating convicted war criminals could strain these connections.
The situation echoes past dilemmas within the EPP, such as managing relations with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, which was eventually suspended over democratic concerns. Slovenian Green MEP Vladimir Prebilic urged the EPP to reconsider its support for parties with questionable democratic practices.
In light of these developments, Serbia’s path to EU membership faces renewed challenges, highlighting the ongoing tensions between national politics and European integration efforts.