The European Union has reacted through a official statements on the occasion of the death of former Serbian general Ratko Mladić, convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity.
According to the statement of the spokesperson of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the armed conflicts of the 1990s in the Western Balkans remain among the darkest moments of recent European history.
The EU expresses its solidarity with all victims, survivors and their families who suffered from war crimes in the countries of the former Yugoslavia.
“Ratko Mlladić was a convicted war criminal who had committed war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. He died while serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity and the Srebrenica genocide,” the statement said.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia sentenced Mladic to life in prison in 2017, calling his crimes among the worst known to mankind.
The EU emphasizes that any form of glorification of war criminals, denial of genocide and historical revisionism contradicts fundamental European values and has no place either in the European Union or in the candidate countries for membership.
“Reconciliation and good neighborly relations in the Western Balkans remain essential for building a common future,” the statement follows.
The European Union re-evaluates its commitment as a partner of the countries of the Western Balkans to support reconciliation processes, regional stability and the resolution of disputes inherited from the past, in accordance with international law.
Full statement:
The armed conflict of the 1990s in the Western Balkans was among the darkest moments in recent European history. We stand in solidarity with all victims, survivors and their families who suffered from war crimes in the countries of the former Yugoslavia.
Ratko Mlladiq was convicted as a war criminal, who had committed war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. He died serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity and the Srebrenica genocide.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia sentenced him to life in prison in 2017, describing his crimes as among the most horrific crimes known to mankind.
Any glorification of war criminals, denial of genocide and revisionism contradict the most fundamental European values and have no place in the EU or in the candidate countries for EU membership. Reconciliation and good neighborly relations in the Western Balkans remain essential for building a common future.
The EU is a partner of all Western Balkan countries to support their efforts to promote regional reconciliation and stability, as well as to find and implement final and comprehensive solutions to our partners’ regional and bilateral disputes and issues, stemming from the legacy of the past, in accordance with international law.
