European Union Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, has canceled a planned visit to Serbia, following strong reactions regarding the glorification of war criminal Ratko Mladic.
In a post on the social network X, Kos recalled that Mladic has been convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. She said that the return of his remains to Belgrade reminds Europe of the darkest periods of its recent history.
The European Commissioner particularly criticized the honors and glorification of Mladic's figure, emphasizing that such an approach is incompatible with the values on which Serbia's path towards the European Union is based.
According to Kos, European integration requires confronting the past, sincere reconciliation, and respect for the victims of war crimes.
"The values that underpin our common future are non-negotiable," Kos wrote.
Under these circumstances, she announced that she has decided not to carry out the planned visit to Serbia at this time.
Ratko Mladic, former commander of Bosnian Serb forces, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the international judicial mechanism for crimes committed during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
