Former Croatian PM Jadranka Kosor is demanding the European Commission halt Serbia's EU membership negotiations following state-honored funeral services for Ratko Mladić.
Key facts
- •Jadranka Kosor publicly called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to suspend Serbia's EU accession talks.
- •Ratko Mladić was buried with state and military honors, including an honor guard and the presence of Serbian officials.
- •The Serbian government used a state aircraft to transport Mladić's remains from The Hague.
- •European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos canceled a scheduled visit to Serbia following the arrival of Mladić's body.
- •Serbia has been in EU accession negotiations since 2014.
Former Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor has formally requested that the European Commission suspend all EU accession negotiations with Serbia. The call follows a state-honored funeral held in Belgrade for Ratko Mladić, the former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska who was convicted of genocide.
By the numbers
Funeral Honors and Official Participation
Ratko Mladić was buried at Topčider Cemetery with military and state honors, including the presence of an honor guard and members of the Serbian Army. The funeral was attended by various Serbian officials, the political leadership of Republika Srpska, and the Russian ambassador to Serbia. Prior to the burial, a service was led by Patriarch Porfirije at the Church of St. Luke, and a commemoration was held on Saturday at an official Serbian Army facility. The Serbian government utilized a state aircraft to transport Mladić’s remains from The Hague.
EU Response and Context
Mladić, who died on August 27 at age 84 while serving a life sentence in The Hague, was convicted for his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo. In response to the funeral proceedings, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos canceled a planned visit to Serbia. The European External Action Service stated that the glorification of war criminals and the denial of genocide are incompatible with EU standards. Serbia has held candidate status and conducted accession negotiations since 2014.
Timeline
- July 1995Forces under Ratko Mladić committed the massacre in Srebrenica.
- 2014Serbia began conducting formal EU accession negotiations.
- August 27, 2026Ratko Mladić died in The Hague while serving a life sentence.
- September 5, 2026A commemoration for Mladić was held at a Serbian Army facility.
- September 8, 2026Jadranka Kosor called for the suspension of Serbia's EU accession talks following the funeral.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Total Croatia News.
