The body of former Republika Srpska Army commander Ratko Mladic, convicted of war crimes, has arrived in Belgrade from The Hague. Mladic died in The Hague while serving a life sentence for serious crimes committed during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The plane carrying his body landed at around 6:00 PM at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport.
The body was received with the highest military honors, while the coffin was covered with the flags of Serbia and the Republika Srpska.
Mladic’s funeral is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 7, at the Topcider cemetery in Belgrade. According to his wife, Bosiljka Mladic, he will be buried next to their daughter, Ana.
A memorial ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 5, at the Army House in Belgrade.
His body will be on display at the Church of Saint Luke, in the Skojevsko neighborhood in Čukarica, from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić confirmed that Serbian authorities have received Mladić’s body from The Hague. He said the state will provide logistical and transportation support to guarantee order, peace and security during the ceremonies.
Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic had previously stated that Mladic would be buried in Serbia with the highest state honors.
Mladic was sentenced to life imprisonment by the international justice mechanism in The Hague for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, including responsibility for the Srebrenica massacre.
Serbia’s decision to give him state honors has sparked strong reactions from European officials. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos stressed that Mladic is a convicted war criminal who was serving a life sentence for genocide and crimes against humanity.
Kos stated that the glorification of Mladic is contrary to fundamental European values and has no place in the European Union or in countries aiming for membership in it. /Telegraph/