EU commissioner scraps Serbia trip over Mladic tribute

The European Commissioner for enlargement Marta Kos on Friday canceled a ​trip to Serbia after a Serbian government plane ‌took the body of former army commander and convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic, who died ​last week, to Belgrade for what ​is expected to be a huge ⁠funeral.

"The glorification surrounding his death is incompatible ​with the values on which the EU ​path is built. That path requires confronting the past, genuine reconciliation and respecting the victims of ​war crimes," Kos wrote on X.

"The values ​that underpin our common future are not negotiable. In ‌this ⁠context, I have decided not to proceed with my planned visit to Serbia at this time," added Kos.

Mladic, who was ​convicted of ​genocide, crimes ⁠against humanity and war crimes committed during Bosnia's 1992-95 war, died ​last week in a U.N. detention ​facility ⁠in The Hague aged 84.

Six Western Balkan countries want to join the EU – Albania, ⁠Bosnia, ​Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia ​and Kosovo – but are at different stages of the accession ​process.

-Reuters