Senior EU official cancels Serbia trip over planned tribute to Ratko Mladic

Marta Kos has cancelled her planned visit to Serbia after the country's reception for Ratko Mladic, saying the public glorification of the convicted war criminal conflicts with the values underpinning Serbia's path toward the European Union.

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The glorification surrounding his death is incompatible with the values on which the EU path is built.

Kos condemned what she called the "glorification surrounding his death" in a post on X. "In this context, I have decided not to proceed with my planned visit to Serbia at this time," she wrote.

Mladic's body was flown from The Hague to Belgrade and received with a guard of honour on Thursday, days before his scheduled burial. The Serbian government says he will receive state and military honours. President Aleksandar Vucic said the government would provide "every kind of logistical and transport support" and expected tens of thousands of people to attend the funeral.

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In this context, I have decided not to proceed with my planned visit to Serbia at this time.

Mladic, known as the "Butcher of Bosnia", died aged 84 on August 27 while serving a life sentence in The Hague. A UN court convicted him in 2017 of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the Bosnian War. More than 100,000 people died in that conflict, and Mladic's legacy remains closely associated with the Srebrenica genocide, where his forces killed more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys in July 1995.

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Very short but stupid.

Sections of the Serbian public and political establishment still regard Mladic as a hero, and supporters cheered as his body was driven through Belgrade. Serbian populist President Vucic, quoted by regional broadcaster N1, called Kos's explanation "very short but stupid". Serbia has negotiated EU membership since 2014, but the process has stalled in recent years under Vucic.

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Every kind of logistical and transport support.