Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot on Friday condemned plans to honour convicted Bosnian Serb war criminal Ratko Mladic at a memorial ceremony in Serbia, warning that the move would further distance Belgrade from the European Union’s fundamental values.
“I condemn that act in the strongest terms,” Prevot said on X, adding that he had raised the issue with Serbia’s minister responsible for European affairs.
Prevot described the planned tribute as “shameful and disrespectful” to victims and their families, saying it represented a step away from EU values including respect for human dignity, human rights and the fight against impunity.
The controversy began on August 28, a day after Mladic died in The Hague while serving a life sentence. Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic said Mladic would be buried with the military and state honours he was entitled to as a general.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic did not confirm that a state funeral would take place, but said Serbia would help arrange a dignified burial if Mladic’s family requested it.
The announcement prompted criticism from Brussels and regional leaders. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said glorifying war criminals was incompatible with fundamental European values and had no place in EU candidate countries.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic warned that a state funeral for Mladic would effectively close the door to Serbia’s EU membership bid. Belgium has now joined those condemning the military honours.
The UN court carrying out the residual functions of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) also condemned any actions glorifying people convicted of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.
The Muslim Council of Britain said it was appalled by the state ceremony, arguing that honouring a convicted genocidaire with state honours amounted to an “authorisation of evil”.
Mladic, known as the “Butcher of Bosnia”, was convicted by the UN tribunal of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes for his role in the 1992-95 Bosnia war, including the 1995 Srebrenica genocide.
He died on August 27 at a UN detention facility in The Hague. His body was returned to Serbia on Thursday on a government plane and received with military honours.
A memorial ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at the House of the Army in Belgrade, with the funeral and burial planned for Monday.
