Serbian President Vucic Criticizes UN War Crimes Court Over Mladic Death

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Former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic, who was serving a life sentence for genocide and war crimes, died at age 83 in a U.N. detention facility in The Hague. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic criticized the U.N. war crimes court for denying Mladic’s previous request to return to Serbia to die, labeling the court's actions as "uncivilised." While survivors of the Srebrenica massacre expressed that Mladic should have remained in prison, Vucic stated that Serbian authorities were prepared to arrange a burial for the general in Belgrade if requested by his family. A judge has opened an inquiry into the circumstances of the death, while Serbian officials awaited information regarding the return of the body.

Consequences

The death and Vucic's subsequent criticism of the U.N. court may intensify ongoing tensions between the Serbian government and international judicial institutions. Future diplomatic friction is likely as Belgrade awaits a response from The Hague regarding the potential transfer of Mladic's remains for a burial in Serbia.

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