BRUSSELS — European Union enlargement chief Marta Kos canceled her planned visit to Serbia on Friday, citing the "glorification" of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic following his death. Kos said such tributes are "incompatible with the values on which the EU path is built." Her decision complicates Serbia's long-stalled bid for EU membership.
Mladic's body arrived in Belgrade on Thursday from The Hague, where he was imprisoned. It was received with a military guard of honor—an official gesture that drew sharp international criticism. His burial is scheduled for days after the arrival.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic publicly dismissed Kos's explanation, telling regional N1 television it was "very short but stupid." He affirmed the government's commitment to supporting Mladic's funeral, saying it would provide "every kind of logistical and transport support" and expressed an expectation that tens of thousands would attend.
Mladic, known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," died Aug. 27 at age 84 while serving a life sentence. A United Nations court convicted him in 2017 of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes during the Bosnian War.
Mladic served as one of the most notorious military commanders during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War, a conflict that killed more than 100,000 people and displaced millions. His legacy is inextricably linked to the Srebrenica genocide. In July 1995, forces under his command systematically executed more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, an act later condemned as genocide by international courts.
Serbia initiated EU accession negotiations in 2014, a process requiring alignment with the bloc's political and legal standards. Progress has largely stalled in recent years. The EU mandates adherence to democratic principles, rule of law and respect for human rights as core conditions for membership.
The incident highlights the tension between Serbia's nationalistic sentiments and the EU's foundational values, which include condemning war crimes and promoting reconciliation. Such actions by an EU enlargement chief signal the bloc's serious concerns about Belgrade's commitment to these principles.
