European Union enlargement chief Marta Kos has cancelled a planned visit to candidate nation Serbia. The decision follows the death of Ratko Mladic, a former Bosnian Serb army commander and convicted war criminal.
The cancellation comes after a Serbian government plane transported the body of Mladic, known as the Butcher of Bosnia, to Belgrade for what is expected to be a large funeral. Kos condemned the glorification of the convicted war criminal, describing such actions as incompatible with European values.
Kos stated that the handling of the funeral will serve as a test for Serbia's path toward the European Union and could potentially impact its membership bid. While the EU official criticized the burial plans, Serbia's president has announced that he will not attend the funeral.