European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has condemned the public glorification of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić, warning that such acts undermine reconciliation in the Western Balkans and insult the victims of the wars of the 1990s.
In a post on X, Metsola recalled that the European Parliament commemorates the victims of the Srebrenica genocide every year, when thousands of people were killed, forcibly disappeared or expelled.
“Public glorification of convicted war criminals, such as Ratko Mladić during his funeral, undermines reconciliation,” Metsola said.
She added that such acts represent “an insult to the victims and their loved ones.”
“We stand in solidarity with them. We will never forget,” she concluded.
Mladić, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb Army, was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. His life sentence was upheld on appeal in 2021.
His funeral in Belgrade and the participation of Serbian state and military representatives in commemorative events have triggered strong criticism from European officials and institutions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa also condemned the glorification of Mladić, while EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos canceled a planned visit to Belgrade following the Serbian authorities’ handling of his funeral and commemorations.
Metsola’s statement further underscores growing concern within the European Union over Serbia’s approach to the legacy of the 1990s wars and the country’s commitment to reconciliation, accountability and European values.
The controversy comes as Serbia continues its EU accession process, with Brussels increasingly linking progress toward membership to the rule of law, democratic standards, regional reconciliation and good-neighborly relations.
