Von der Leyen Condemns Mladic Funeral Turnout, Cites Risk to Serbia's EU Bid
EU Reaction to Mladic Funeral and Implications for Serbia
Von der Leyen's Statement on the Funeral
BRUSSELS, Sept 8 (Reuters) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the images of the large turnout for the funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic were "shocking", and added they could undermine Serbia's plans for accession to the EU.
Public Comments on Social Media
"The images from Ratko Mladić's funeral yesterday in Belgrade were shocking," von der Leyen wrote on X, in comments that were also echoed by European Council president Antonio Costa.
Concerns Over Official Support
"The elements of official support and the presence of some senior Serbian officials at the funeral are deeply regrettable. They demonstrate a failure to confront a dark chapter in Europe's recent history and contradict the values underpinning Serbia's path towards the European Union," von der Leyen added.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Alison Williams)
