EU Warns Serbia Over Funeral Plans for Convicted War Criminal Ratko Mladic

The body of Ratko Mladic, a former Bosnian Serb army commander convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity, has returned to Serbia following his death in a UN detention facility in The Hague. Mladic, who was serving a life sentence for crimes committed during the 1992 to 1995 Bosnian War, arrived in Belgrade on a government plane draped in the Serbian flag. He was received with military honors by soldiers and accompanied by his son and Serbia's Justice Minister, Nenad Vujic. A public funeral service is scheduled for Monday in Belgrade, with security agencies estimating that tens of thousands of people may attend.

The event has sparked international tension. European Union enlargement commissioner Marta Kos canceled a planned visit to Serbia, stating that the glorification of war criminals is incompatible with European values and Serbia's application to join the EU. While Justice Minister Vujic previously indicated the funeral would be held with the highest state honors, President Aleksandar Vucic stated that the decision rests with the family and announced he would not attend the service. Vucic responded to international criticism by claiming the West and the Hague Tribunal have failed to deliver justice for Serbian victims.

Public reaction within Serbia appears divided. Pro government media and supporters have hailed Mladic as a hero, with some citizens gathering along the motorcade route holding banners that read "Thank you, General." Conversely, human rights advocates, such as Jasmina Lazovic of the Humanitarian Law Center, argue that the state continues to glorify a man responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians, including the genocide in Srebrenica.