The Political Assembly of the European People’s Party (EPP) has adopted a statement on Serbia following events surrounding the funeral in Belgrade of Ratko Mladić, who was convicted by international courts for the Srebrenica genocide and other serious war crimes.
The EPP described the scenes from the funeral as “deeply disturbing,” stressing that Mladić’s responsibility for the Srebrenica genocide and other grave crimes committed during the wars in the former Yugoslavia was established by international courts.
“His crimes were established by international courts and must never be relativised, glorified, or forgotten,” the EPP said.
The European People’s Party also pointed to what it described as public and state honours at the funeral, the participation of senior Serbian officials, and open expressions of support in public places.
The EPP said such actions are contrary to the values of reconciliation, respect for victims and accountability that, in its view, underpin the European project. It also said the Political Assembly echoed the condemnation expressed by the EPP leadership and the international community.
The statement specifically refers to the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), saying that the recent events “cannot be ignored” as part of the EPP’s ongoing scrutiny process concerning the party.
The EPP began an internal scrutiny process concerning SNS in September 2025. At the time, the party said the process was not a formal suspension or exclusion procedure, but an internal investigation with an open-ended outcome.
SNS has been an associated member of the EPP since 2016. The EPP’s current party directory continues to list SNS as an Associated Member Party.
