Presence of Serbian officials at Mladic funeral ‘deeply regrettable’, say EU chiefs

EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa have condemned the attendance of Serbian officials at the funeral of war criminal Ratko Mladic, calling it deeply regrettable. The ceremony, held in Belgrade, drew thousands of mourners and has strained relations between Brussels and Belgrade, a candidate for EU membership. European Commission President von der Leyen and European Council President Costa expressed their dismay over the official support and senior Serbian participation at the service, arguing it undermines efforts to acknowledge a painful period in Europe's recent past and contradicts the values guiding Serbia's pursuit of EU integration.

Mladic, convicted of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity during the 1990s Bosnian conflict, passed away in The Hague last month at the age of 84. Initially, Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic announced military and state honors for Mladic, prompting global condemnation. President Aleksandar Vucic later moderated the decision, citing the family's wishes.

The EU has not yet specified the repercussions for Serbia's EU accession bid, but it is highly probable that von der Leyen will skip Serbia on an upcoming Balkans tour.