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🇬🇷 Greece /Elections & Politics

Serbia puts Ratko Mladic's body on public display, drawing EU anger over honors for the “Butcher of Srebrenica”

From Kathimerini · () Greek

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

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Thousands gathered in Belgrade to pay respects to Ratko Mladic, who died while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
  • Serbia's public honors for Mladic prompted criticism from the European Union, including the cancellation of a visit by Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos.
  • Mladic's coffin was brought to Serbia on a government aircraft and was reportedly due to receive full military honors.

Thousands gathered at Belgrade's small Orthodox Church of St Luke on Monday to bid farewell to Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb military commander who died while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Mladic's coffin was displayed publicly with his military cap and sword placed on top. Men in camouflage uniforms stood nearby as mourners arrived, reflecting the continued view of Mladic as a hero among a significant part of Serbian society.

He was a man who gave everything in his life for the Serbian people.

· Milan DobricA mourner who travelled from Kosovo to attend Mladic's funeral.

According to pro-government Serbian media, Mladic was expected to receive full military honors, with Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije presiding over the funeral service. “He was a man who gave everything in his life for the Serbian people,” said Milan Dobric, who travelled from Kosovo to attend. “I am glad that people are coming this morning to pay him special respect.”

I am glad that people are coming this morning to pay him special respect.

· Milan DobricHis comment about the crowds gathering at the Belgrade church.

Mladic died aged 84 on Aug. 27 in The Hague, where he was serving a life sentence for crimes committed by his forces during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war. Although his family formally handled the funeral arrangements, the Serbian government sent a plane to bring his body to Belgrade. Soldiers carried the coffin, draped in the Serbian flag, and a military ceremony took place Saturday at an official Serbian army facility.

The honors provoked strong criticism in the European Union. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos cancelled a planned visit to Serbia, saying, “The glorification accompanying his death is incompatible with the values on which the European path is built.” The war left more than 100,000 people dead and over one million displaced before it ended with a U.S.-mediated peace agreement in 1995.

The glorification accompanying his death is incompatible with the values on which the European path is built.

· Marta KosThe EU enlargement commissioner explained why she cancelled a planned visit to Serbia.
About this summary

Originally published by Kathimerini in Greek. 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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