Serbia’s EU future at stake over Mladić glorification

15.09.2026 15:06

Serbia's EU future at stake over Mladić glorification

The EPP strongly condemns the presence of senior Serbian officials as well as the military honours at the funeral of Ratko Mladić. The glorification of Ratko Mladić is not simply a matter of Serbia's domestic debate but has wider implications for the country's credibility as an EU candidate, says Davor Ivo Stier MEP, the EPP Group's spokesperson on Serbia, during the debate in the plenary of the European Parliament on this issue. "EU membership is not only about meeting technical criteria; it is first and foremost about sharing fundamental European values. The glorification of Ratko Mladić and the military honours granted at his funeral can only undermine Serbia's credibility and jeopardise its path towards the European Union," highlighted Stier.

There is also a human and moral dimension. An honest understanding of the past cannot be built on denial, glorification or alteration of historical facts, Stier underlines. "There can be no genuine reconciliation without truth and respect for the victims. Glorifying Ratko Mladić, a convicted war criminal, does exactly the opposite: it deepens divisions, fuels historical revisionism and undermines efforts to build lasting peace and reconciliation. The EPP Group stands in solidarity with the victims of genocide and war crimes."

Note to editors

The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 184 Members from all EU Member States