A life sentence for war crimes was being served by Ratko Mladic when he died. His funeral sparked shock from top EU officials. Many Serbs consider him a hero.

Mladic was given a funeral with certain honors, leading to questions about a country's bid to join the EU. The funeral service was led by a church leader and attended by government ministers. Further details about the reaction to Mladic's funeral are available from the source, including comments from European Commission officials.