The public display surrounding the funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić in Belgrade earlier this month has created a palpable chill in relations between Serbia and the European Union, prompting a direct, if somewhat restrained, reaction from the bloc’s highest echelons. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, articulated her dismay during her annual State of the European Union address to the European Parliament, stating she was “horrified by the images” that emerged from the Serbian capital. This sentiment underscores a growing friction, even as the Commission has previously sought to advance Serbia’s aspirations for EU membership.
Mladić, infamously known as the “Butcher of Bosnia,” died in August while serving a life sentence in The Hague for a litany of grave offenses including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed during the brutal Bosnian War of the 1990s. His remains were transported to Belgrade on a state plane, where an honour guard reportedly composed of Serbian military and security forces awaited. Public broadcasters and the Serbian Orthodox Church were involved in commemorating the figure, whose coffin was draped in a Serbian flag. These actions directly contradicted earlier assurances from Belgrade officials that Mladić would not receive state honours, sparking widespread condemnation across Europe.
The fallout was immediate and significant. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković publicly criticized what he perceived as the EU’s muted initial response. More consequentially, the funeral’s implications quickly reached the intricate machinery of EU enlargement. The Commission, under von der Leyen’s leadership, had been actively working to facilitate Serbia’s accession bid, specifically by pushing for the unlocking of Cluster 3 talks focused on economic growth. However, EU capitals collectively blocked this progression, citing persistent concerns about democratic backsliding within Serbia, despite Belgrade’s efforts to implement most judicial reform recommendations from the Venice Commission.
Diplomatic circles now suggest that the high-profile funeral for Mladić has effectively stalled Serbia’s accession process. One diplomat, speaking anonymously, remarked that “anyone even considering opening Cluster 3 will think twice” after witnessing the events in Belgrade. This perspective was echoed by Henrik Dahl, a Danish lawmaker affiliated with the European People’s Party (EPP), who bluntly stated that “Serbia has put themselves in the back of the waiting line (to join the EU) because they gave a state funeral to a war criminal.” Such pronouncements highlight the deepening skepticism among member states regarding Serbia’s commitment to European values, particularly concerning reconciliation and justice for war crimes.
The controversy also extends to the political affiliations of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. His Serbian Progressive Party is a member of the EPP, the same centre-right political family to which President von der Leyen belongs. This connection has prompted several EU lawmakers to question the appropriateness of the affiliation given the recent events. In a more immediate tangible consequence, Marta Kos, the EU’s enlargement chief, postponed her scheduled visit to Belgrade in direct response to the funeral, fueling speculation about potential similar repercussions from von der Leyen herself. While the Commission chief is anticipated to tour Western Balkan candidate countries this autumn, including Serbia, the executive has remained noncommittal about the confirmed itinerary for such a visit. The events surrounding Mladić’s funeral have clearly cast a long shadow over Serbia’s European aspirations, demonstrating the high stakes involved in confronting a difficult past.
