Thousands bid farewell to Bosnian Serb war criminal in Belgrade

Thousands of mourners attended the Belgrade funeral of Ratko Mladic on Monday, despite the former Bosnian Serb commander dying while serving a life sentence for genocide.

Mladic, 84, died in The Hague last month after suffering several strokes. He had been convicted of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1990s Bosnian war, earning him the international media nickname the “Butcher of Bosnia.”

The funeral prompted accusations from Brussels that Serbia was glorifying a convicted war criminal. “Any glorification of war criminals, genocide denial and revisionism contradict the most fundamental European values,” an EU spokesman said.

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Any glorification of war criminals, genocide denial and revisionism contradict the most fundamental European values.

Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic initially announced that Mladic would receive “military and state honours,” triggering international outrage. President Aleksandar Vucic later tempered the decision and rejected accusations that the state was glorifying Mladic, saying the ceremony followed the wishes of his family.

Mladic’s son, Darko, who officially organised the funeral, stood beside the casket as mourners streamed into St Luka church and kissed the coffin. The service took place at the smaller church rather than the grand Saint Sava Temple, where state funerals are normally held. Several Serbian ministers attended, along with Russia’s ambassador to Serbia and Milorad Dodik, the former president of Bosnia’s Serb entity. Vucic said the state would ensure the event passed off safely, but did not attend because of a prior engagement.

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military and state honours