European Union leaders on Tuesday condemned Serbia for providing military honors at the funeral of Ratko Mladic, a Bosnian Serb general who died while serving a life sentence for war crimes. The condemnation has cast doubt on Serbia's suitability to join the EU.
Mladic, known as the "Butcher of Bosnia" and convicted of genocide, was buried in Belgrade on Monday with his coffin draped in a Serbian flag and carried by soldiers. The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church officiated the service, which was attended by several Serbian government ministers, Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik, and the Russian ambassador to Serbia.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa issued a joint statement expressing shock at the "official support" and the presence of senior officials at the funeral, calling it "deeply regrettable." They stated that the event demonstrates a failure to confront a dark chapter in European history and contradicts the values essential for Serbia's path toward the European Union.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who did not attend the funeral, described it as an "emotional outpouring." His son, Danilo, was among the attendees. Serbia's Justice Minister Nenad Vujic also attended, stating that authorities had ensured the funeral proceeded in a "dignified" manner, though he clarified that the family was responsible for the arrangements.
President Vucic has been navigating a complex political landscape, seeking to appeal to supporters who admire Mladic ahead of potential early parliamentary elections while also maintaining relations with the EU. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos had previously warned that the funeral would serve as a "test" for Belgrade and canceled a planned visit to Serbia, citing incompatibility between the "glorification" of Mladic and EU values.
The European Commission is expected to release its annual enlargement report in late October or early November, assessing Serbia's progress toward membership. A spokesperson for von der Leyen indicated that the EU is "looking into" potential consequences for Serbia's membership bid following the funeral. Serbia's EU membership prospects have already been affected by concerns over democratic backsliding and irregularities in municipal elections, which previously put nearly $1.8 billion in EU funds at risk.
Despite these concerns, Serbia's ruling nationalist-populist SNS party maintains close ties with the European People's Party (EPP), a major political group within the EU Parliament. Some critics, including Slovenian Green MEP Vladimir Prebilic, have called on the EPP to cease providing support to the SNS party, which he accused of celebrating convicted war criminals.
Both von der Leyen and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola are senior members of the EPP. The EPP previously suspended Hungary's Fidesz party in 2019 over rule of law concerns before the party left the group. The EPP's relationship with Vucic's party is under scrutiny amid the controversy surrounding Mladic's funeral.