Thousands attend funeral of Ratko Mladic in Belgrade

Thousands of people gathered in Belgrade on Monday, September 7, 2026, for the funeral of former Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic. Mladic, who had been serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, died last week. The service was conducted by the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije, at a suburban church where the coffin was displayed under the guard of war veterans. Mourners arrived from Serbia and the Serb Republic in Bosnia, facilitated by provided bus services, while carrying flags and images of the deceased.

The funeral drew significant international criticism, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa describing the turnout and the presence of senior Serbian officials as "shocking." European leaders stated that these events demonstrate a failure to confront the legacy of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo. They warned that such actions could undermine Serbia’s ongoing efforts toward European Union accession, as they contradict the fundamental values required for membership.