Socialists and Democrats urge EU to call Aleksandar Vučić to account

European lawmakers from the Socialists and Democrats group demanded on Monday that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić be held to account after Belgrade allowed state participation in the transfer and public commemoration of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić.

The parliamentary group described the decision to facilitate Mladić’s return and the public funeral as an unacceptable glorification of a man convicted of genocide, saying it was an affront to his victims and to European values.

Strong call from Socialists and Democrats

In an Instagram post the group said: "There is no place in the European Union (EU) for the glorification of war criminals. No more concessions. The EU must call Vučić to account. And the conservative European People's Party must finally decide whether it will continue to keep Vučić's party in its ranks or stand up for European values."

Separately, European Commission spokesman Christian Wigand reiterated that "any glorification of war criminals, genocide denial and revisionism contradict the most fundamental European values and have no place in the EU or in EU candidate countries." He added that reconciliation and good neighbourly relations in the Western Balkans remain crucial for a shared future.

The Socialists and Democrats also noted that Mladić died on 27 August while serving a life sentence for genocide, crimes against humanity and other war crimes, including his role in the Srebrenica genocide and the siege of Sarajevo. "We stand firmly with the families of the victims, and with all those who still bear the scars of those crimes," the group said.

The reaction by the Socialists and Democrats intensifies pressure on Brussels to take a clearer stance toward Serbia’s government and on European parties — particularly the centre-right European People’s Party — to clarify their relations with Vučić’s party in light of the public ceremonies for Mladić.

Photo: press material from the event