Thousands Gather in Belgrade for Funeral of Convicted War Criminal Ratko Mladic

Thousands of people gathered in Belgrade on Monday, September 7, for the funeral of Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb military chief convicted of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Mladic died on August 27 at the age of 84 while serving a life sentence in a prison hospital in The Hague. The ceremony began at the Church of St. Luke, where the coffin was draped in the flags of Serbia and the Republika Srpska, before the procession moved to Topcider Cemetery. Mladic was buried with military honors beside his daughter, who died by suicide in 1994.

The event drew a wide range of attendees, including the Russian ambassador to Serbia, several Serbian government ministers, and high ranking officials from the Republika Srpska. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic did not attend the funeral, citing a scheduled visit from the president of Uzbekistan. Vucic defended the event against international criticism, stating that the state was respecting the wishes of the family and ensuring a dignified burial rather than providing state honors.

International reactions were sharply critical. The European Union condemned the glorification of war criminals, stating that such actions contradict fundamental European values. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos canceled a planned visit to Belgrade in protest. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic expressed deep anger, stating he wished to sever diplomatic ties with Serbia and announcing the recall of most staff from the Bosnian embassy in Belgrade. The Mothers of Srebrenica described the funeral as a shame and a fascist gathering.

Within Serbia, the event highlighted a deep divide. Many attendees, including veterans and nationalists, hailed Mladic as a national hero and the father of the Republika Srpska. Some participants carried banners and merchandise featuring the general's image. Conversely, the Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije noted that Mladic's figure cannot be separated from a terrible era of war and suffering. While pro government media described the event as a magnificent farewell, international observers and critics pointed to the erasure of the 8,000 Bosniak men and boys massacred in Srebrenica under Mladic's command.