Serbia divided over Ratko Mladić's funeral honors after his death

Following the death of Ratko Mladić, the former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, Serbia finds itself divided over the appropriate honors for his funeral. The nation is grappling with the legacy of a man convicted of genocide and war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

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General Mladić will certainly have all the military and state honors that belong to a general, when we talk about the state.

Justice Minister Nela Kuburović stated that Mladić would be buried with the highest military and state honors befitting his former rank. This announcement, made to the press, suggested a formal recognition of his military past. However, President Aleksandar Vučić offered a more cautious response. He emphasized that the state would facilitate a "dignified and decent" burial within Serbia if Mladić's family desired it, but he notably refrained from mentioning specific military or state accolades.

This divergence in official statements highlights a broader societal tension. While some in Serbia may wish to honor a figure seen by some as a wartime hero, others strongly oppose any official recognition. The Humanitarian Law Center argued that granting state honors would contravene Serbian law, which stipulates the removal of ranks and honors for individuals sentenced to over a year in prison for war crimes.

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What I can guarantee, if the family wishes him to be buried in the territory of Serbia, is that we will help to make it a dignified and decent manner.

European Movement in Serbia also called on the government to abandon any institutional glorification of Mladić. Opposition figures echoed these sentiments, with Radomir Lazović of ZLF stating it would be "absolutely wrong" for the state to glorify a war criminal. Srđan Milivojević of DS added that Mladić's death does not alter the facts established by the international court, and those responsible for war crimes should not hide behind the nation.

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Granting honors in that way is actually a violation of the law, since the current Law on the Army stipulates that individuals sentenced to more than one year in prison lose their ranks and all associated honors.

President Vučić also mentioned that the state had previously made efforts to facilitate Mladić's return to Serbia before his death, but that the Hague Mechanism's refusal was an unprecedented and uncivilized act. The ultimate decision on Mladić's burial location and the extent of honors remains contingent on his family's wishes and the ongoing debate within Serbia.

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I think it is absolutely wrong for the state to glorify a war criminal in any way, and I think it would be good to distance ourselves from that and simply say that this was not done in our name.