World media report thousands paid tribute to convicted war criminal Mladić, who was sent off as a hero

International media placed Ratko Mladić’s funeral on their front pages, describing how thousands gathered in Belgrade to honor the convicted war criminal and how supporters sent him off as a hero.

The Associated Press reported that Mladić’s body was publicly displayed in the morning while Serbia defied European Union warnings against public honors for a man convicted in what the agency described as Europe’s first genocide case since the Second World War. Thousands of mourners gathered early at St. Luke’s Church in Belgrade. Many Serbs, AP noted, still view Mladić as a hero.

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

His military cap and saber rested on the coffin, surrounded by men in uniform. Pro-government media said he would receive full military honors, while Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije led the funeral service. Milan Dobrić, who traveled from Kosovo, said Mladić “was a man who gave everything in life for the Serbian people.” He added: “I am glad that people came this morning to show him special respect.”

AP also recalled that although Mladić’s family formally organized the funeral, the Serbian government sent a plane the previous week to transport his remains to Belgrade. Soldiers carried the coffin, which was wrapped in the national flag. A military memorial took place on Saturday at the Army House.

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I am glad that people came this morning to show him special respect.

CNN carried the AP report with the headline: “War criminal Ratko Mladić to be buried with full military honors as crowds gather.” The Guardian described him as the “Butcher of Bosnia” and wrote that the funeral fanfare for a man convicted of genocide raised questions about Serbia’s European integration.

The Guardian reported that Mladić remained a beloved figure for many Serbs, including politicians. People gathered along the road as his remains were driven from the airport, holding banners that praised him. The scenes of military pomp drew condemnation from European Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who canceled an upcoming visit to Serbia. The reports also noted the presence of Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik and Russia’s ambassador in Belgrade, Aleksandar Bocan Harčenko.

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Butcher of Bosnia