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EU's von der Leyen slams turnout for Mladic's funeral

September 8, 2026 3:34 AM EDT

Mourners gather at the Church of St. Luke, where the body of former Bosnian Serb wartime general Ratko Mladic lies in state before burial, in Belgrade, Serbia, September 7, 2026. REUTERS/Uros Arsic

BRUSSELS, Sept ‌8 (Reuters) - European ​Commission ​President Ursula von der Leyen said on ‌Tuesday that the images of ⁠the large turnout for the ‌funeral of convicted war ‌criminal Ratko Mladic were "shocking", and added they could undermine ​Serbia's plans for accession to the EU.

"The images ⁠from Ratko Mladić's funeral yesterday in Belgrade ​were shocking," von der Leyen wrote on X, in ​comments that were ‌also echoed by European Council president Antonio Costa.

"The ⁠elements of official support and the presence of some senior ⁠Serbian officials at the funeral are ​deeply regrettable. They demonstrate a failure to confront a dark chapter in ‌Europe's recent history and contradict the values ‌underpinning Serbia's path towards ⁠the European Union," ‌von der ​Leyen added.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Alison ‌Williams)



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