Mladic funeral deepens scrutiny of Serbia’s stalled EU bid
The state-supported funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic has renewed questions about Serbia’s democratic standards, relations with Russia and commitment to EU membership.
Serbia’s path towards European Union membership has come under renewed scrutiny after Ratko Mladic was buried in Belgrade with military honours and government representatives present. Mladic was convicted by a UN court of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
EU leaders condemned the public glorification. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the images shocking, while European Council President Antonio Costa condemned the glorification of war criminals. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos cancelled a visit to Serbia.
Reporting by Deutsche Welle cited analysts who said Serbia’s reform process had stalled and democratic standards had deteriorated under President Aleksandar Vucic. Belgrade has also continued to reject EU sanctions against Russia, while relations with Kosovo remain tense.
The EU remains Serbia’s largest trading partner, investor and financial donor, but Belgrade maintains close relations with Moscow and Beijing. Further payments under the Western Balkans Growth Plan have reportedly been withheld over concerns about judicial independence.
An early parliamentary election scheduled for 25 October could test Vucic’s political dominance. Analysts cited by Deutsche Welle said the vote was unlikely, by itself, to repair Serbia’s institutions or fundamentally alter its relationship with the EU. The accession process has not formally ended, but its political momentum has weakened.
