The European Union has reacted following the death of former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic, as well as his funeral ceremony in Belgrade, where he was given state honors.

In its statement, the European Union directly referred to the glorification of persons convicted of war crimes, warning that the denial of genocide and attempts to change the interpretation of the history of war crimes are contrary to European principles. Brussels emphasizes that these attitudes have no place either in the European Union or in the countries aiming for membership. At the same time, the EU emphasizes reconciliation and strengthening good neighborly relations in the Western Balkans.

Mladic, a former Bosnian Serb military commander, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He was serving his sentence when he died. In its response, the EU expresses solidarity with the victims and survivors of the conflicts of the 90s in the former Yugoslavia and recalls the importance of justice and reconciliation in the region.

The European Union's full response:
"The armed conflicts in the Western Balkans of the 1990s were among Europe's darkest moments in its recent history. We stand in solidarity with all the victims, survivors and their families who suffered from war crimes in the countries of the former Yugoslavia."

Ratko Mladić was a convicted war criminal who committed war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. He died while serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity and genocide in Srebrenica. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia sentenced him to life imprisonment in 2017, describing his crimes as among the most heinous crimes known to mankind.

Any glorification of war criminals, genocide denial and revisionism run counter to the most fundamental European values ​​and have no place in the EU or in EU candidate countries. Reconciliation and good neighbourly relations in the Western Balkans remain essential for building a common future.

The EU is a partner for all countries in the Western Balkans to support their efforts to promote regional reconciliation and stability, as well as to find and implement final and comprehensive solutions to our partners' regional and bilateral disputes and issues that are rooted in the legacy of the past, in accordance with international law," the response reads.