Thousands attend funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic in Belgrade

Thousands of mourners gathered at a church in Belgrade on Monday to pay their respects to former Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic. The funeral proceedings followed the death of the former military leader, who passed away on August 27 while serving a life sentence at a detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands.

Mladic had been convicted of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity for his role during the Bosnian War. His death occurred while he was in the custody of the United Nations tribunal, where he had been incarcerated since his 2011 arrest.

The public gathering in Serbia’s capital drew thousands of attendees who came to view the body and mark the passing of the former general. The event drew significant international attention and condemnation regarding the public nature of the commemoration.

In response to the funeral, the European Union expressed strong criticism of the proceedings. As a direct result of the event, European Union enlargement commissioner Marta Kos cancelled a scheduled diplomatic visit to Serbia.

The situation highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the legacy of the Bosnian War and the differing perceptions of figures convicted by international tribunals. While the funeral proceeded in Belgrade, the international community continues to monitor the political implications of the event.