EU institution leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa condemn what they describe as the “shocking” funeral of war criminal Ratko Mladić in Belgrade, after senior Serbian officials attend with military honours. Both outlets report that the European officials link the reaction to broader EU membership expectations for Serbia.
The criticism centers on the symbolism of official attendance at a funeral for Mladić, whose record as a convicted war criminal remains a major issue for Europe’s post-conflict justice process. Euronews frames the event as clouding Serbia’s EU prospects “for the foreseeable future,” while Free Malaysia Today emphasizes the contradiction with the values underpinning Serbia’s EU path. The two accounts converge on the same core point: EU leaders view Serbian support for the funeral as deeply regrettable and inconsistent with EU principles.
