Ratko Mladić, a convicted war criminal found guilty of the Srebrenica genocide and other war crimes committed during the 1990s war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was buried in Belgrade on September 7, 2026, with all military and state honors - an event representing one of the greatest disgraces for Serbia as a state in modern times, while the reaction of the European Union (EU) was equally shameful.
Moreover, the authorities in Serbia take pride in this; the day after the funeral, Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujić stated that Mladić had been buried 'with dignity and military honors.' Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who did not attend the funeral, said that the state had provided logistical support - a fact that unequivocally demonstrates the Serbian state's involvement.
Ratko Mladić was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague for genocide against the Bosniak population in Srebrenica in 1995; for the persecution, extermination, and forcible transfer of Bosniaks and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina; for terrorizing, shelling, and sniping the civilian population during the siege of Sarajevo; and for taking UN peacekeepers hostage during the 1995 NATO bombing campaign.
It is particularly lamentable that Serbia, with Mladić's state funeral, has once again clearly demonstrated its involvement in the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the early 1990s, once again deeply wounded many citizens of Bosnia, especially Bosniaks - the survivors of the Srebrenica genocide - and clearly shown that genuine regional cooperation cannot be built with the current authorities in Belgrade.
Europe's inadequate response
Moreover, only certain reactions have come from the EU without any concrete actions that would prove that the European bloc is truly a community that cultivates the highest civilisational values, human rights, democracy and the rule of law where there is no room for the glorification of war criminals.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stated that the elements of official support and the presence of some high-ranking Serbian officials at the funeral were deeply regrettable, and that was all - without any repercussions, let alone sanctions.
Some Members of the European Parliament did call for concrete steps against the authorities in Belgrade - including the freezing of EU funds and the suspension of Serbia’s participation in European projects - but so far, nothing has been done.
Therefore, the EU has once again lost credibility, not only in Europe but globally, making it increasingly difficult to speak of the Union as a normative community and a distinct civilisational project.
A community that does not punish those who promote and 'proudly' celebrate war criminals lacks the foundation and credibility to shape global norms and values.
Can such a response from the EU be considered adequate in light of the crimes committed by Mladić - foremost among them the genocide in Srebrenica in which 8,372 Bosniak men and boys were killed by forces of the Army of Republika Srpska under the command of Mladić in July 1995?
Such a naive reaction by the EU toward Serbia constitutes a grave insult to all people who condemn war crimes and especially to the Bosniaks who survived the genocide and other horrific atrocities in Bosnia during the 1990s - making it very difficult to believe in Brussels' intentions or the European path.
However, it might not be too late yet for the EU to at least partially restore its reputation, and it can do so only by penalising Serbia - through concrete political and financial mechanisms.
What Brussels can do
One of the measures would be a complete freeze or a slowdown of EU membership negotiations. Under these circumstances, it makes no sense for Serbia to continue on its European path. In this regard, the EU could immediately block the opening of new negotiating chapters with Serbia.
The next concrete measure would be the suspension or freezing of financial aid. It is worth noting that the EU is the largest donor and investor in Serbia; therefore, a direct blow to the state budget is required.
Political isolation and the cancellation of official visits are also among the measures. By politically distancing itself from the Serbian state, the EU must demonstrate that the glorification of war criminals is truly incompatible with European values.
One of the measures is for the EU - specifically the European Parliament - to sever all ties with the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which is an associate member of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest political group in Europe. First and foremost, the SNS must be completely excluded from this political group.
One concrete measure is the adoption of binding resolutions condemning the Serbian actions in question. The European Parliament should urgently adopt a strong resolution formally condemning Belgrade's conduct and defining stricter conditions for any further progress on Serbia's European path.
Furthermore, the EU must clearly establish a strict rule that no country can become a member in the future unless it explicitly recognises the Srebrenica genocide and distances itself from the glorification of war criminals.
Ultimately, the EU needs to clearly tell Serbia that it cannot join the European family until it adopts a resolution recognising the Srebrenica genocide (as opposed to resolutions attempting to equate victim and perpetrator), as well as a resolution in which the state condemns and distances itself from war criminals.
Only on these premises can the EU build an image of a community that genuinely promotes the highest civilisational values, norms, the rule of law, and democracy, while helping Balkan countries build true trust and peace.
Anything to the contrary is a false direction - a construct built on shaky foundations and hypocrisy - that cannot last. I hope the EU chooses a path that clearly demonstrates that it is truly a civilisational project with no place for the glorification of war criminals. The EU is now facing a crucial test!
