Serbia: How the funeral of Ratko Mladic is dividing a nation
As the Serbian government leaves the decision about Ratko Mladic's funeral arrangements to his family, international pressure on the country is mounting. How do Serbs feel about the matter?
The body of former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic, serving a life sentence for genocide and war crimes, has returned to Serbia. His coffin was carried to the Military Medical Academy for autopsy by members of the Serbian Armed Forces. Crowds of citizens greeted the motorcade, displaying banners that read "Thank you, General" and "Heroes never die."
Mladic will be buried in Belgrade with state honors after his death at 85. Serbia's pro-government media have extensively covered the funeral, referring to Mladic as a Serbian general. Belgrade media report that Mladic's funeral will be held with the highest state honors, though President Aleksandar Vucic says the decision will be left to the family.
Justice Minister Nenad Vujic announced the funeral with top state honors, while European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos criticized the glorification of war criminals. Jasmina Lazovic, executive director of the Belgrade-based Humanitarian Law Center, notes the widespread glorification of Mladic and the narrative that he was unjustly convicted.
She argues that the focus should be on confronting Serbia's past to move forward, highlighting the experiences of victims across neighboring countries.
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