The Funeral That Won’t Fade from Memory

The burial of Ratko Mladic in Belgrade, complete with military honors, has sparked an international outcry over the glorification of a war criminal responsible for one of Europe’s most heinous atrocities. Thousands lined the streets to pay their respects to the former Bosnian Serb commander as the scene was broadcast live on television.

In a country still grappling with its past, Mladic’s funeral has become a flashpoint in Serbia’s ongoing struggle with its relationship to the European Union and Russia. President Aleksandar Vucic, who has long sought to balance these competing interests, finds himself at the center of a maelstrom as he navigates parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25.

Mladic’s funeral was a carefully choreographed affair, with Serbian Patriarch Porfirije officiating at the service and President Vucic choosing not to attend in person. Instead, he cited a prior commitment – a visit from Uzbekistan’s president – as an excuse for his absence. This decision has been seen by many as a calculated move to avoid alienating nationalistically-minded voters who still harbor deep resentment towards the outcome of the Yugoslav wars.

Critics have accused Vucic of using Mladic’s funeral to whip up patriotic fervor and distract from his own government’s woes. With a credible student movement poised to challenge his ruling bloc in the upcoming elections, Vucic is grasping at every available lifeline. As Dejan Bursac, a political scientist at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory in Belgrade, notes, Mladic’s funeral has become an opportunity for Vucic to present himself as a patriot while portraying his opponents as traitors.

The impact of this spectacle on Serbia’s citizens cannot be overstated. Many still feel a deep sense of grievance over the events of the 1990s, with war crimes committed against Serbs largely unpunished. As Tanja Topic, a political analyst from Banja Luka, points out, politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina “rest heavily on emotion.” In this context, Mladic’s funeral has become an issue around which citizens are mobilized – one that eclipses even the most pressing concerns of their daily lives.

Meanwhile, Serbia’s student movement has chosen to focus on more practical issues: the rule of law, democracy, and systemic corruption. Their campaign for reform is slowly gaining traction, with a significant portion of the population beginning to see beyond the nationalist fervor that has long dominated Serbian politics.

The control exerted by the government over the media in Serbia cannot be overstated. Pro-Vucic outlets like Informer TV have been instrumental in shaping public opinion, branding critics as “professional haters of Serbs” and “traitors.” Yet beneath this façade lies a more nuanced reality – one where both Vucic’s party and the student-backed electoral list are attempting to function as broad catch-all platforms. As analysts note, neither side can afford to alienate nationalistically-minded voters, who hold the key to securing victory in what promises to be a closely contested election.

The fallout from Mladic’s funeral is unlikely to fade anytime soon. International pressure on Vucic to denounce the glorification of war crimes will continue to mount, even as he attempts to navigate the treacherous waters of Serbian politics. In this climate, where media control and nationalist sentiment hold sway, it remains to be seen which path Serbia will ultimately choose – one that leads towards a more integrated Europe or one that reinforces its ties with Russia.

The funeral of Ratko Mladic has become a powerful symbol in Serbia’s ongoing struggle for identity. It is a reminder that the past continues to shape the present, and that the choices made today will have far-reaching consequences for generations to come.