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๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ Serbia /Culture & Society

New Ratko Mladic murals appear across Serbia after his death

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • New murals and graffiti depicting former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic have appeared in several Belgrade neighborhoods following his death.
  • Activist Aida Corovic said the murals form part of an effort by authorities to portray a man convicted of genocide and other war crimes as a hero.
  • The Youth Initiative for Human Rights says more than 300 Mladic murals have been painted across Serbia, including more than 250 in Belgrade.

Ratko Mladic's death has been followed by a fresh wave of murals portraying the convicted war criminal as a hero across Belgrade. One new painting on Pozeska Street, near the Church of St. Luke where his remains are due to lie in state, shows Mladic in military uniform beneath the words "Thank you, General" and "Europe knows but refuses to admit that Ratko fought against terrorism."

A nearby billboard at a hospitality venue reads "A final farewell, General." Similar images have appeared in Vidikovac, near the market, as well as in Senjak and Karaburma. The best-known mural, on Njegoseva Street in Vracar, has repeatedly been targeted for removal by citizens. Police and masked young men have guarded it.

Europe knows but refuses to admit that Ratko fought against terrorism.

· Mural inscriptionThe phrase appears alongside a mural of Ratko Mladic on Pozeska Street.

Aida Corovic, an activist interviewed by N1, described the new murals as part of a campaign by authorities to turn a man convicted of war crimes into a national hero. She said Mladic had been largely forgotten before authorities led by Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ‡ revived his image to consolidate nationalist public opinion. "The authorities led by Vucic assessed that they needed such a 'hero' to further consolidate nationalist public opinion and continue riding that wave as they did in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It produced good results and it worked," Corovic said.

The authorities led by Vucic assessed that they needed such a 'hero' to further consolidate nationalist public opinion and continue riding that wave as they did in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It produced good results and it worked.

· Aida CorovicThe activist told N1 that authorities revived Mladic's image to strengthen nationalist sentiment.

She argued that Mladic's image had become a tool for political homogenization. "The key is for most people to understand that there is an equation between Mladic, who is a symbol of the wars and evil of the 1990s, and the miserable way they live. The elites that created Mladic are millionaires and billionaires, while we live miserably from day to day. That is the essence of the story. They give us Ratko Mladic and false heroes to anesthetize our hungry stomachs," she said.

Data from the Youth Initiative for Human Rights puts the number of Mladic graffiti works and murals across Serbia at more than 300, with more than 250 in Belgrade. Mladic died in The Hague on August 27. His body was flown to Serbia on a Serbian government aircraft on September 3, and a commemoration took place at the Army Hall on September 5. His burial is scheduled for September 7 at Topcider Cemetery, after his body is displayed at the Church of St. Luke from 7 a.m.

They give us Ratko Mladic and false heroes to anesthetize our hungry stomachs.

· Aida CorovicCorovic said Mladic's image distracts people from poor living conditions.
About this summary

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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