Marta Kos postpones planned visit to Belgrade over Ratko Mladic glorification

Marta Kos will not come to Belgrade after all. The European Commissioner for Enlargement withdrew from her planned visit to Serbia, saying the glorification of Ratko Mladic after the former Bosnian Serb military commander’s death crossed a line.

“Ratko Mladic was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The return of his remains to Belgrade reminds Europe of the darkest pages in our recent history,” Kos said. She added that the public glorification surrounding his death was incompatible with the values on which Serbia’s European path is built.

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Ratko Mladic was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The return of his remains to Belgrade reminds Europe of the darkest pages in our recent history.

Kos said that path requires confronting the past, pursuing genuine reconciliation and respecting the victims of war crimes. The values supporting a common future, she said, are not negotiable. For that reason, she decided not to proceed with the visit “at this time.”

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That path requires confronting the past, genuine reconciliation and respecting the victims of war crimes.

Her trip had been scheduled for two days after Mladic’s funeral. Among her engagements, Kos was expected to attend the BELTALKS international economic forum. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had recently commented on her anticipated arrival and on Kos’s criticism of the EU accession methodology, which she said needed changing because the Union did not need “Trojan horses.”

“If I were a cynic and a bit rude, I’d say that Marta Kos would prefer to see some sheep rather than horses, but I’m not, so I won’t say that,” Vucic said on Aug. 25. He added that Serbia was doing its job and protecting itself, while the EU was self-sufficient and did not need “Trojan horses, or any horses for that matter.”

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If I were a cynic and a bit rude, I’d say that Marta Kos would prefer to see some sheep rather than horses, but I’m not, so I won’t say that.