Full Breakdown
Ratko Mladic’s State Funeral Sparks Domestic Division and EU Backlash
9/7/2026, 11:35:04 AM
The Funeral and Its Immediate Details
On September 7 2026 the body of former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic arrived in Belgrade on a government plane, draped in the Serbian flag and escorted by soldiers. After a brief autopsy at the Military Medical Academy, the coffin was placed in the Serbian Orthodox Church of St Luke for a public memorial. Thousands of mourners queued from early morning, many kissing the closed coffin and holding banners such as “Thank you, General.” The ceremony was followed by burial in a Belgrade cemetery later that day. Serbian security agencies estimated “tens of thousands” could attend and pledged logistical support to maintain order.
Background: Conviction and Serbia’s EU Path
Mladic was sentenced in 2017 by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to life imprisonment for genocide in the July 1995 Srebrenica massacre, the siege of Sarajevo and other war crimes. Serbia, an EU candidate since 2012, has long defended Mladic as a national hero, a stance that clashes with EU expectations of confronting the past.
Data & Statistics
- Srebrenica victims: > 8,000 Bosniak men and boys (ICTY).
- War-time casualties: > 100,000 dead and > 1 million displaced.
- Expected funeral attendance: “tens of thousands” (President Aleksandar Vucic).
Official Statements & Responses
President Aleksandar Vucic said the funeral arrangements rest with Mladic’s family and warned that guaranteeing security for a massive crowd would be “very difficult.” Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije was reported to lead the service.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I have spoken to the Mladic family and I wish it all passes in a dignified way,” — Aleksandar Vucic (Božemandailychronicle)
- “Glorification of war criminals is contrary to European values. There is no place for it either in EU member states or in candidate countries. I hope the government in Belgrade is aware of that,” — European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos
- “I abhor the public glorification of Ratko Mladic, a deceased war criminal convicted for the Srebrenica genocide and crimes against humanity,” — Michael O’Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
On-the-Ground Reports
Citizens gathered along the motorcade route, waving Serbian flags and lighting flares. Overpasses displayed banners reading “Eternal glory, General!” and “Welcome, General.” Humanitarian-law advocate Jasmina Lazovic noted murals glorifying Mladic exist in many Serbian towns, reflecting a narrative that frames him as a victim of “anti-Serb bias.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Serbian officials gave mixed messages about state honors: Justice Minister Vujic announced full honors, while later statements said the burial would proceed without artillery salutes or placement in the Alley of the Greats. Media differ on whether serving officials will attend; some say the president, prime minister and parliamentary speaker will be absent, others suggest only family and retired generals will be present.
Why It Matters
The funeral underscores a deep split in Serbia between those who view Mladic as a hero and those who see him as a symbol of genocide. It also places Serbia’s EU accession under heightened scrutiny, as EU officials link the handling of the funeral to concerns about democratic backsliding and the country’s willingness to confront wartime atrocities.
