Former Croatian PM urges blocking Serbia, Montenegro EU talks over reactions to Mladić's death

Former Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor has called on Croatia to block the European Union accession negotiations for both Serbia and Montenegro. Kosor, a vocal critic of the region's past, stated that the decision should be based on the reactions from Serbian authorities and the President of the Montenegrin Parliament to the death of Ratko Mladić.

Mladić, the former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, died in a detention facility in The Hague. Reports indicate that Serbian officials reacted to his death by glorifying him and denying the crimes for which he was convicted, including genocide. This stance has drawn sharp criticism.

Kosor specifically mentioned Andrija Mandić, the President of the Montenegrin Parliament and leader of the New Serb Democracy party. Mandić had expressed condolences to Mladić's son, Darko, via social media. Kosor stated on the social network X that "After the reactions of the authorities in Serbia to the death of the convicted killer, war criminal, Croatia, a member of the EU, must block that country's negotiations for the EU. And also Montenegro because of the Chetnik Mandić."

Ratko Mladić was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in 2017 for genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1995. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. His trial began in May 2012 and involved extensive testimony and evidence.