Professor David Pettigrew Urges EU to Reassess Serbia’s EU Path Over Ratko Mladić Funeral

Professor David Pettigrew of Southern Connecticut State University has called on the European Union to take concrete action against Serbia following the involvement of Serbian state officials and religious leaders in the funeral and burial of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić. In a letter addressed to the European Commission, Pettigrew expressed “grave concerns” about recent developments in Serbia, arguing that the events surrounding Mladić’s funeral raise serious questions about Serbia’s commitment to the rule of law and the fundamental values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union.

According to Pettigrew, as many as six Serbian state officials were involved in the funeral arrangements. He said one state official accompanied Mladić’s coffin on the plane, while Serbian state resources were used to facilitate the arrival of the coffin, including the involvement of military personnel who received it. Pettigrew said the funeral and burial amounted to the glorification of Mladić, who was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment.