Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb army general convicted of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, was buried in Belgrade on Monday with full military honours. Thousands attended despite warnings against glorifying him.
Mladic, 84, died on August 27 while serving a life sentence for crimes committed during the 1992–1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. His body was returned to Serbia on a government plane last week, prompting condemnation in the region and beyond.
A ceremony attended by officials and supporters
Police blocked parts of Belgrade around the church and cemetery before the ceremony. Mladic’s body lay in state from early morning, and some mourners waited for hours to pay their respects.
Among those attending were Serbian opposition figures, former and current officials from Republika Srpska, pro-Serbian politicians from Montenegro and Russia’s ambassador to Serbia, Alexandar Botsan-Kharchenko. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic did not attend, although his son Danilo was present.
Key points
- Mladic’s coffin was wrapped in the Serbian flag and government members took part in the ceremony.
- The service was held at St. Luke church near the cemetery and led by Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije.
- European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos cancelled an official visit to Belgrade over the funeral.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned against actions that glorify convicted war criminals.
Why Mladic remains a divisive figure
Bosnian Serb forces under Mladic’s command captured Srebrenica in July 1995 after the United Nations had declared the area a safe zone. More than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed, an atrocity ruled a genocide by a UN court. Some 1,000 victims’ remains are still being sought.
Mladic’s forces also pursued territory held by the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including Sarajevo, during the war. He was arrested in Serbia in May 2011 after nearly 16 years in hiding, extradited to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague and sentenced to life in prison.
Condemnation from Europe and civil society
Marta Kos said the glorification surrounding Mladic’s death was incompatible with the values underpinning Serbia’s path towards the European Union. Civil society organisations in Serbia protested the decision to grant him military honours, saying it disrespected victims and survivors.
The funeral has renewed debate over Mladic’s legacy in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. His continued support among parts of the public and political circles remains tied to wider disputes over the war and the Srebrenica genocide.
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