Croatian premier condemns glorification of convicted war criminal Mladic

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Wednesday condemned the glorification of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic, saying Serbia had not undergone “catharsis,” according to Croatian news outlet Net.hr.

Plenkovic commented on tributes paid to Mladic in Banja Luka, where more than 1,000 people gathered to pay their respects following his death.

Plenkovic said Serbia had reacted strongly to his remarks in Bled, Slovenia, where he criticized the glorification of Mladic and the national character given to his funeral.

He said Mladic was convicted in The Hague of genocide in Srebrenica and was responsible for serious crimes while carrying out the policies of former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.

“By glorifying and giving a national character to the funeral of Ratko Mladic, convicted in The Hague for the genocide in Srebrenica, who carried out Milosevic’s policy and was responsible for the most serious crimes, and by giving him such eulogies and lamenting for him, Serbia shows that not only has it not gone through catharsis,” Plenkovic said.

“It has not even taken a step toward where it wants to be. And it certainly won’t happen like this,” he added, saying Croatia was not alone in holding that position.

Plenkovic also said younger generations increasingly had little knowledge of what happened during the 1990s.

“Giving such a man state honors means they have to go back to the first grade of school when it comes to fundamental values,” he said.

“I say this loud and clear so that they understand the extent of the complete political failure and the moral unacceptability of honoring a war criminal,” he added.