Organizing Ratko Mladić's State Funeral Would Signal Serbia's Failure to Distanciate from 1990s Policies, Says MEP

Davor Ivo Štir, a Member of the European Parliament from the European People's Party, has cautioned Serbia against honoring Ratko Mladić with a state funeral. Štir argued that such a move would send a detrimental message, indicating a failure to break from the controversial politics of the 1990s.

Štir emphasized that organizing a funeral with state honors for Mladić, a convicted war criminal, would be interpreted internationally as a sign that Serbia has not fully reckoned with its past. This, he believes, would undermine efforts to foster closer ties with European institutions and hinder the country's progress towards European integration.

The MEP's statement highlights the ongoing sensitivity surrounding the legacy of the Yugoslav Wars and the importance of historical accountability for countries seeking to join the European Union. The Serbian government's decision on how to handle Mladić's funeral is therefore seen as a significant political and diplomatic signal.

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Organizing a funeral with state honors for Mladić would send a message that Serbia has not distanced itself from the policies of the 1990s.