Belgrade buries war criminal Mladić without state honors amid EU backlash

Key points

• Mladić was buried in Belgrade on Monday without state or military honors, contrary to earlier statements by Justice Minister Nenad Vujić.
• EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos canceled a planned visit to Serbia, citing the 'glorification' of Mladić as incompatible with EU values.
• Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić dismissed Kos’s criticism as 'stupid' and stated he would not attend the funeral due to a prior official visit.
• Thousands of supporters attended the funeral, with Vučić predicting 'tens of thousands' would gather, posing security challenges.
• Calls have emerged for the European People’s Party to cut ties with Serbia’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party over its support for Mladić.

Background

Ratko Mladić, known as the 'Butcher of Bosnia,' died at 84 in The Hague on August 27, 2026, while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity during the 1992–1995 Bosnian War. He was convicted in 2017 by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for orchestrating the Srebrenica massacre, which killed over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys, and for the siege of Sarajevo. Serbia had previously buried another convicted war criminal, Nebojša Pavković, with full military honors in 2025, setting a precedent for honoring such figures despite international condemnation.

How outlets are covering it

Euronews and NBC News report that Mladić was buried without state or military honors, contradicting earlier claims by Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujić. Al Jazeera initially reported that Serbia would provide 'full military honors,' but later sources clarified that the state did not organize the commemoration. EU officials, including Marta Kos and Council of Europe Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty, condemned the 'glorification' of Mladić, with Kos canceling a visit to Serbia. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić rejected the criticism, calling Kos’s explanation 'stupid' and stating that the funeral was organized by Mladić’s family. Belgian and Irish foreign ministers also objected to any honors for Mladić, while UEFA fined Serbian and Bosnian football clubs for fans chanting in his honor.

Why it matters

The handling of Mladić’s funeral highlights ongoing tensions between Serbia and the EU, particularly regarding the recognition of war crimes and the glorification of convicted war criminals. The incident has stalled Serbia’s EU accession process and intensified calls for the European People’s Party to sever ties with Serbia’s ruling party. It also underscores the persistent ethnic divisions in the Balkans and the challenges of reconciling historical grievances with contemporary diplomatic relations.

What to watch

The EU is likely to monitor Serbia’s actions closely in the coming weeks, with the next days described by Kos as a 'very important test' for Belgrade. The Serbian government may face further diplomatic pressure if it continues to honor convicted war criminals. Additionally, the incident could influence the trajectory of Serbia’s EU accession negotiations, which have already stalled due to democratic backsliding and its refusal to join international sanctions against Russia.