Ratko Mladić dies; reactions expose regional divisions

Ratko Mladić, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb army convicted of genocide and war crimes, has died at the age of 85. His passing in the detention hospital in The Hague has once again exposed the profound divisions within Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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Mladić's death is truly a murder, as everything indicated his poor health.

Reactions to Mladić's death have starkly contrasted between the country's two entities. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, he is widely condemned as a "butcher" and a war criminal responsible for immense suffering. Conversely, in Republika Srpska, some narratives portray him as a victim, claiming he was "murdered" and praising his wartime role.

Mladić had been in deteriorating health, experiencing multiple strokes, and was under palliative care. His requests for temporary medical leave in Serbia were consistently rejected by the judicial mechanism in The Hague. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017 by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for his role in the 1992-1995 Bosnian War.

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What is there to celebrate? An 85-year-old grandfather died. That will not bring back our dead.

Political figures have already begun to comment, with Milorad Dodik, leader of the SNSD, calling Mladić's death a "murder" due to his poor health. Analysts anticipate that politicians will leverage this moment for pre-election campaigning and to heighten tensions. Meanwhile, others, like former Srebrenica mayor Ćamil Duraković, argue that celebrating his death offers no solace for the thousands of victims and urge for a distancing from such figures.

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There is no doubt that politicians will use this moment for some kind of pre-election campaign and raising tensions.