Serbia plans military and state funeral for convicted war criminal Mladic
Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic announced that Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb military leader convicted of genocide and war crimes, will receive full military and state honours at his funeral. Mladic died Thursday while serving a life sentence in The Hague for his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and other atrocities during the Bosnian war. Serbian officials are awaiting the release of his body from Dutch authorities to proceed with the arrangements.
Mladic, who died Thursday at age 83, had suffered multiple strokes in recent months while imprisoned at the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague. His conviction stemmed from commanding Bosnian Serb forces during the 1992-1995 conflict that killed roughly 100,000 people and displaced 2.2 million, with the Srebrenica massacre marking Europe's worst bloodshed since World War II. He served alongside political leaders Slobodan Milosevic and Radovan Karadzic in what became known as a brutal ruling trio.
Serbian authorities have stated they are prepared to travel to The Hague immediately once Dutch officials confirm when the body will be released. Justice Minister Vujic confirmed the state funeral arrangements on Friday, though no date or location has yet been announced.
This decision could deepen regional tensions, as honouring a convicted genocidaire with state ceremony may be seen by Bosniak survivors and international observers as legitimizing wartime atrocities. Within Serbia, the move could reinforce nationalist narratives that portray Mladic as a defender rather than a perpetrator, potentially affecting reconciliation efforts and Serbia's EU accession prospects. The contrast between international war crimes verdicts and domestic honouring may also strain diplomatic relations with Bosnia and the Netherlands.