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🇷🇸 Serbia /Conflict & Security

Standard: Serbia’s treatment of Mladic destabilizes Bosnia and the entire region

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

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

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Outcome reported
  • The Standard newspaper criticized the commemoration and defense of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic by political figures in Serbia and Republika Srpska.
  • The paper argued that denial of crimes and glorification of convicted perpetrators threaten stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the region.
  • Mladic, who was convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity, died in a prison hospital in The Hague at age 84 and is due to be buried.

The Austrian daily Standard says Serbia’s treatment of Ratko Mladic, together with the stance of political elites in Republika Srpska, is destabilizing not only Bosnia and Herzegovina but the entire region.

Mladic was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and sentenced to life in prison for genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia. Standard argues that the official culture of remembrance in Serbia and Republika Srpska rests on denying crimes and celebrating those convicted of them.

The newspaper says there has been no fact-based, critical reckoning in Serbia or Republika Srpska with the past and the regimes responsible for crimes during the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo. It also points to conspiracy theories claiming that Mladic died because of neglect in prison, or that he was killed. Standard says such claims shift attention away from his crimes against tens of thousands of victims and portray him as the victim.

The official history of remembrance in the Republic of Serbia and the Republika Srpska is based, however, on denying crimes and celebrating criminals.

· StandardThe newspaper criticized the way Serbia and Republika Srpska address the legacy of the wars.

The paper cited condolences from Serbian nationalist politicians in Montenegro, Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic, as well as praise from Metropolitan Metodije of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It also reported threats on social media against Montenegro’s foreign minister, Ervin Ibrahimovic, a Bosniak, including demands that he be expelled from the country.

Mladic’s coffin was brought to Belgrade with an honor guard, and a memorial ceremony was held at the Army House on Saturday. Active and retired generals organized the event, which was attended by senior officials from Serbia and Republika Srpska. Standard also noted that Serbian law provides for the removal of ranks and decorations from people sentenced to more than a year in prison, while Justice Minister Nenad Vujic said the legal questions would be deferred for discussion at a later time. Mladic died on Aug. 27 at age 84 in a prison hospital in The Hague and is due to be buried today.

In Serbia and Republika Srpska, chauvinism and revisionism are part of the policy pursued by the elites.

· StandardThe paper’s assessment of the political treatment of Mladic and the wartime past.
About this summary

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. 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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