The warning that former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, Ratko Mladic, could be buried in Serbia with the highest state honors has caused strong reactions among the Bosniak community in the country.
Serbia's Minister of Tourism and Youth, Husein Memic, has stated to Radio Free Europe that he will not participate in such a ceremony. He emphasized that Mladic has been convicted by the Hague Tribunal and that, according to him, "not a single word should be spoken" about him, KosovaPress writes.
The reactions came after a statement by Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic, who had warned that Mladic would be buried in Serbia “with the highest state honors.” However, the Serbian Government, Ministry of Justice and Presidency have not responded to Radio Free Europe’s request for clarification regarding these warnings.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated on August 28 that Mladić will be buried wherever his family wishes and that Serbian authorities currently have no information about the ceremony.
The Bosnian National Council has condemned the announcement of Mladic's burial with state honors, calling it a "dangerous message" to Bosniaks. The council has urged officials not to glorify a person convicted of war crimes.
Even the Novi Pazar Citizens' Union, an informal organization created during the student protests, has described the warning about state honors as "terrible."
"You cannot ask Bosniaks for trust in institutions and at the same time grant state recognition to a man convicted of genocide against their people," they said in their response to RSE.
Novi Pazar lawyer Ahmed Delimegac has expressed fears that Mladic's grave could be turned into a mausoleum. According to him, this would be a continuation of a policy of strengthening and glorifying war crimes.
Ratko Mladic, former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, was sentenced in 2021 by the court in The Hague to life imprisonment for the genocide in Srebrenica, persecution and forcible displacement of the population, terrorizing civilians during the siege of Sarajevo, and taking members of the United Nations peacekeeping forces hostage.
The Hague Tribunal found him guilty of the genocide against around 8,000 Bosniaks in Srebrenica during the summer of 1995. He was also found guilty of a number of other crimes, including murder, deportations, persecutions and attacks on civilians.
The European Commission stated on August 28 that it is up to the Serbian authorities to determine the role they will play in Mladic's funeral, but stressed that glorifying war criminals is contrary to fundamental European values.
Meanwhile, Mladic's death has also sparked reactions in stadiums in Serbia and Republika Srpska. At some matches, photos and banners in his honor have been displayed, while fans have chanted the name of the former commander convicted of war crimes.
