Ratko Mladić Receives Military Honors as Thousands Gather for Funeral in Belgrade

Thousands of mourners gathered in Belgrade on Monday for the funeral of former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladić, the convicted war criminal who died while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Mladić’s coffin was placed at the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Luke, where supporters gathered to pay their respects. His military cap and saber were placed on the coffin, while uniformed personnel stood nearby.

The decision to honor Mladić has triggered strong criticism from European officials and representatives of victims of the Bosnian war. His funeral has also reopened long standing divisions over Serbia’s wartime legacy and its relationship with the European Union.

Mladić died on August 27 at the age of 84 in The Hague, Netherlands, while serving a life sentence imposed by an international tribunal. He had been convicted for crimes committed by Bosnian Serb forces during the 1992 to 1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The former general was found responsible for some of the most serious crimes of the conflict, including the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, in which more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed. He was also convicted over his role in the prolonged siege of Sarajevo and other crimes committed during the war.

His funeral arrangements were formally handled by his family, but the Serbian government became involved in bringing his remains back to the country. A Serbian government aircraft transported the body to Belgrade, while soldiers carried the coffin wrapped in the Serbian national flag.

A military commemoration was also held on Saturday at an official Serbian army facility.

Reports from Serbia indicated that Mladić would receive full military honors during his funeral service, with Patriarch Porfirije, head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, expected to lead the religious ceremony.

For many of Mladić’s supporters, his death has become an opportunity to honor a figure they continue to regard as a defender of Serb interests during the breakup of Yugoslavia.

One mourner who traveled from Kosovo described the gathering as an important moment for those who continue to view Mladić positively.

However, the response outside his support base has been sharply different. European officials have condemned what they describe as the glorification of a convicted war criminal, particularly as Serbia continues its campaign to join the European Union.

EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos canceled a planned visit to Serbia in protest over the public celebrations surrounding Mladić’s death. She argued that glorifying someone convicted of such crimes was incompatible with the democratic values expected of countries seeking EU membership.

The controversy places Serbia in another difficult position as it attempts to balance its European ambitions with strong nationalist sentiment at home.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has defended the right of people to attend the funeral, describing the large crowds as an emotional reaction rather than something directed by his government.

Vučić has also repeatedly argued that Serbs have faced decades of international pressure and what he considers unfair treatment by Western governments.

His government has maintained a position that reflects Serbia’s continuing refusal to accept the international legal characterization of the Srebrenica killings as genocide. Serbian officials have described the massacre as a horrific crime but have rejected the genocide designation.

The issue remains one of the most sensitive subjects in the Balkans.

The Bosnian war followed the collapse of Yugoslavia and involved competing ethnic and political forces seeking control over territory. More than 100,000 people died during the conflict, while more than one million were forced from their homes.

The war ended in 1995 following a US backed peace agreement that established a complex political structure for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Srebrenica became one of the darkest episodes of the conflict. The area had been designated a United Nations safe zone for Bosniak civilians, but Bosnian Serb forces captured it in July 1995. Thousands of men and boys were separated from their families and killed, with victims buried in mass graves.

Mladić was later convicted for his role in the campaign that led to the killings.

His supporters in Serbia have continued to portray him as a military hero despite the international court convictions. Since his death, nationalist groups have organized vigils, displayed his image and painted murals depicting him in parts of Belgrade.

The public demonstrations have extended beyond street gatherings. On Sunday, supporters at a major football match in Belgrade displayed a large image of Mladić and chanted his name.

The scenes have angered relatives of victims and organizations representing survivors of the Bosnian war.

The funeral also comes at a politically sensitive time for Serbia. The country’s efforts to advance toward EU membership have already faced obstacles over concerns about democratic standards, political freedoms and its foreign policy.

Serbia has also refused to join Western sanctions against Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, creating another significant point of tension with European governments.

Mladić’s funeral is therefore more than a private family ceremony. It has become a powerful symbol of the unresolved divisions surrounding the wars that accompanied the breakup of Yugoslavia.

For his supporters, the former general remains a symbol of Serb nationalism and wartime resistance. For survivors and relatives of victims, he represents the military leadership responsible for some of the conflict’s worst atrocities.

The contrasting views surrounding his funeral demonstrate how deeply the legacy of the Bosnian war continues to influence politics and society across the Balkans more than three decades after the conflict began.

The decision to provide military honors has added another layer to the controversy, raising questions about how Serbia confronts its wartime past while simultaneously seeking closer integration with the European Union.

As thousands gathered in Belgrade to mourn Mladić, the scenes once again highlighted the unresolved historical and political divisions that continue to shape Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider Balkan region.

Courtesy: CNN