The United Kingdom has summoned Serbia’s acting chargé d’affaires in London to formally condemn the participation of Serbian state and military officials in commemorative events surrounding the funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) summoned the Serbian diplomat on Monday, with Britain’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Dame Karen Pierce, delivering the formal protest.
British Minister for Europe Lord Wood of Anfield also condemned the Serbian authorities’ involvement in events honoring Mladić, stressing the severity of the crimes for which the former Bosnian Serb military commander was convicted.
“Mladić was convicted by an independent UN tribunal of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Denying or whitewashing his crimes is an insult to international law and directly undermines regional stability and trust,” Lord Wood said.
He said the British government’s thoughts were with the victims and their families, who deserve respect, compassion and justice rather than attempts to rewrite established historical facts.
“Political leaders and public institutions have a responsibility to look to the future, not the past, and to act in ways that support regional reconciliation rather than reopen old wounds,” the British minister said.
Lord Wood also stressed that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was established by the UN Security Council and that Serbia is expected to respect its judgments.
The UK said the glorification of a convicted war criminal is fundamentally incompatible with reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider Western Balkans.
London reaffirmed its commitment to international justice, accountability and lasting peace and stability in the region.
Mladić, who died on August 27 at the age of 84, was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the 1992–1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the Srebrenica genocide.
The British diplomatic intervention adds to growing international criticism of Serbia following the state-linked elements surrounding Mladić’s funeral and the participation of Serbian and Republika Srpska officials in events honoring him.
