Full Breakdown
EU Enlargement Chief Cancels Serbia Visit Amid Planned Ratko Mladic Funeral
9/5/2026, 1:48:03 AM
Cancellation Over Planned Funeral
European Commission Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos announced she will not travel to Serbia on September 4, the date set for her scheduled visit. The decision follows the Serbian government’s plan to hold a military-style commemoration and a church burial for former Bosnian-Serb army commander Ratko Mladic, who died in a U.N. detention centre in The Hague last week.
Background on Mladic and Serbia’s EU Bid
Mladic was convicted by a U.N. tribunal in 2017 and sentenced to life imprisonment for orchestrating the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, in which more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed, as well as for the siege of Sarajevo and other war crimes. Despite the convictions, he remains a celebrated figure among many Serbs. Serbia, a candidate country for EU membership, has faced repeated criticism for honoring convicted war criminals, including a 2025 state funeral for former army chief Nebojsa Pavkovic.
Official Statements & Responses
- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic dismissed the cancellation as “very short but stupid,” adding that Kos did not specify who was glorifying the deceased.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I guess we should ban people from showing up, ban the funeral.” — Earlier Friday
- “I abhor the public glorification of Ratko Mladic, a deceased war criminal convicted for the Srebrenica genocide and crimes against humanity,” — O'Flaherty
- “I have spoken to the Mladic family and I wish it all passes in a dignified way,” — Aleksandar Vucic, serbian president
What Lies Ahead
Kos indicated that the days leading up to the burial will be “a very important test” for Serbia’s EU accession process. The funeral is slated for a Monday in a Belgrade suburb, with the possibility of thousands attending. European officials continue to monitor Serbia’s handling of the event as a barometer of its commitment to EU democratic standards.
