Thousands of mourners gathered in Belgrade on Monday for the funeral of Ratko Mladic, a convicted war criminal who died last month at age 84 while serving a life sentence. Serbian officials organized a military funeral for Mladic, who was found guilty of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
Mladic’s funeral featured military honors, including a flag-draped coffin, a military orchestra, and a service led by the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church. His military cap and saber were placed on the coffin, which was flanked by men in fatigues. The event drew high-profile attendees, including Serbian government ministers and foreign dignitaries such as the Russian ambassador to Serbia.
Serbia defied European Union warnings against public homage to Mladic, whose body lay in state at a Belgrade church before burial. The EU’s Enlargement Commissioner postponed an official visit to Serbia in response to the funeral’s military honors and public displays of reverence.
Immediate Developments
Mladic died on August 27 in The Hague, where he was serving a life sentence for his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, during which Bosnian Serb forces killed over 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys. He was also convicted for the 43-month siege of Sarajevo, which resulted in approximately 10,000 deaths, and for operating concentration camps during the 1992–1995 Bosnian War.
The funeral took place at St. Luke’s Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade, where mourners queued for hours to pay respects. Many carried Serbian flags and photographs of Mladic, while some wore shirts praising him. Free bus services were provided from across Serbia and Bosnia’s Republika Srpska entity for attendees.
International and Domestic Reactions
The European Union criticized Serbia’s decision to hold a military funeral for Mladic, with Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos canceling an official visit and accusing the country of glorifying a convicted war criminal. The EU stated that such actions contradicted Serbia’s obligations as a candidate for EU membership.
In contrast, Serbian officials and pro-government media framed Mladic as a hero who defended Serb interests during the Yugoslav Wars. The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije, led the funeral service and stated that Mladic’s name would remain "deeply etched in the memory and prayers" of many Serbs. Serbian Defense Minister Bratislav Gašić and Justice Minister Nenad Vujić were among the government officials in attendance.
Public Sentiment and Historical Context
Mladic’s death reignited debates over his legacy in the Balkans. In Republika Srpska, the Serb-majority entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, many residents described him as a defender of Serb rights. A resident of Banja Luka told The Jerusalem Post, "Mladic defended us when we were under attack. He fought for Serb rights."
Conversely, international observers and victims’ groups condemned the funeral as a revisionist glorification of war crimes. The Srebrenica Memorial Center stated that Mladic’s funeral "sends a dangerous message that genocide can be celebrated without consequence."
UEFA Sanctions Against Red Star Belgrade
The funeral occurred days after Red Star Belgrade football club was fined £77,000 and banned from selling tickets to away fans in UEFA competitions for displaying a banner commemorating Mladic during a match. The club’s social media accounts shared a video of fans unveiling a tifo (choreographed display) featuring Mladic ahead of a derby against Partizan Belgrade.
Logistics of the Funeral
Mladic’s coffin was transported to Belgrade on a Serbian government plane, and his burial included full military honors. The event was broadcast live by pro-government media, reinforcing its significance in Serbian nationalist narratives.
Pensioner Radojka Visic, who traveled from Republika Srpska, told reporters, "I am here to see off the general, a national hero. They couldn’t defeat us on the battlefield, so they sent him to prison and tortured him there instead."
Broader Implications
The funeral underscored ongoing divisions in the Balkans over the legacy of the Yugoslav Wars. While Serbia and Republika Srpska mourned Mladic as a defender of Serbdom, international institutions and Bosniak communities viewed his funeral as a rejection of accountability for one of the darkest chapters in modern European history.