Thousands attend Ratko Mladic's funeral in Belgrade as Sarajevo recalls its embassy staff | The Refract
What the comparison reveals
What everyone says
Thousands of people gathered in Belgrade on Monday, September 7, 2026, for the funeral of Ratko Mladić, with a religious service held by Serbian Patriarch Porfirije at the Church of Saint Luke before his burial at Topčider cemetery.
Ratko Mladić, who died on August 27, 2026, at the age of 84 in the United Nations prison in The Hague, had been sentenced to life in prison by the ICTY for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, including the Srebrenica massacre in July 1995.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos cancelled her planned visit to Serbia on September 9, 2026, deeming the 'glorification' of Mladić incompatible with the values of the European Union.
Where it breaks apart
— Honors at the burial — Accounts differ on the nature of the honors actually paid: some report military or state honors, while others claim the ceremony took place without official honors after the initial announcement by the Justice Minister.
— Political interpretation of Vučić's absence — The German press presents the funeral compromise as a cynical electoral calculation by Vučić ahead of early elections, while the Italian and Serbian presses describe it in more analytical terms, as a prudent management of a sensitive issue.
— Characterization of the gathering
— The French press characterizes the gathering as 'fascist and revisionist', when the Serbian and Russian presses describe it in more neutral terms, as a popular mourning or a reported fact without explicit moral judgment.
Explore every perspective on this subject across 8 countries.
Thousands attend Ratko Mladic's funeral in Belgrade as Sarajevo recalls its embassy staff
published on
September 8, 2026
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On Monday, September 7, 2026, several thousand people attended the funeral of Ratko Mladic in Belgrade, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb army who died on August 27 at the age of 84 in the United Nations prison in The Hague, where he was serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The Serbian Patriarch Porfirije officiated the funeral service at the Saint-Luc church before the burial at the Topcider cemetery, alongside Mladic's daughter, who died in 1994. Bosnian Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković announced the recall of almost all staff from the Bosnian embassy in Belgrade. European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos canceled her planned visit to Serbia on September 9.
The rupture is not total: Sarajevo recalled almost all of its diplomatic staff, but its ambassador and consul remain in place in Belgrade.
The disputed honours
Minister Nenad Vujić had promised military and state honours, an announcement that Vučić later downplayed.
The Marakana stadium
The previous day, at the Marakana stadium, fans of Red Star and Partizan chanted Mladic's name.
The nickname given to Mladic
The press calls him, depending on the country, "the Butcher of the Balkans" (France) or "the Butcher of Bosnia" (Brazil, Italy).
The electoral calendar
Early legislative elections are expected to take place in Serbia on October 25, 2026, according to Deutsche Welle.
Understand the context
AUG 27, 2026
Death of Ratko Mladic in the United Nations prison in The Hague, at 84 years old
AUG 28, 2026
The Serbian Minister of Justice announces military and state honors
SEP 6, 2026
Supporters deploy a banner with Mladic's likeness at Marakana stadium
Key figures
16,000
People who followed the funeral procession in Belgrade, according to a video count
5 sources · figures differ
From 8 000 (Italy) to 16 000 (Serbia). 3 countries give none. · see the detail
