New Murals Honor Ratko Mladic in Belgrade; Red Star Fined
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The Story
Several new graffiti and murals depicting Ratko Mladic have appeared across Belgrade since his death. Mladic was convicted by the Hague Tribunal of genocide in Srebrenica and other war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. One mural is located in Pozeska Street near the Church of St. Luke, where Mladic's remains will be laid out on Monday ahead of his burial. This mural shows Mladic in military uniform, accompanied by messages such as "Thank you, General." Activist Aida Corovic stated the appearance of new graffiti and murals dedicated to Mladic was part of a campaign by the authorities to portray a man convicted of war crimes as a hero. A commemoration was held Saturday in Belgrade for Mladic, attended by dozens of former military personnel, family members, and officials. Serbia's justice minister and the president of Bosnia's Republika Srpska joined hundreds of people paying tribute at the state-owned Army House in Belgrade. The return of Mladic's remains to Serbia has drawn condemnation across the Balkans. UEFA fined Serbian club Red Star Belgrade 90,000 euros ($104,500) and banned them from selling tickets to away fans for their next European match. This punishment followed fan chants in honor of Ratko Mladic during a Europa League playoff game last week, where visiting fans chanted his name, saluted him, and unfurled a banner praising him. The EU commissioner canceled a Serbia visit over the Mladic funeral controversy. Mladic died at 84 after suffering health problems, and his son claims his father was murdered. Vucic says he will not attend the funeral.
The Spread
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What they agree on
- New graffiti and murals honoring Ratko Mladic have appeared across Belgrade following his death.
- Mladic was convicted by the Hague Tribunal of genocide and war crimes.
- A commemoration was held for Mladic in Belgrade, attended by former military personnel, family members, and officials.
- UEFA fined Serbian club Red Star Belgrade for fan chants in honor of Ratko Mladic during a European match.
- The return of Mladic's remains to Serbia and his glorification have drawn condemnation across the Balkans.
Where they split
- N1 Info and Sarajevo Times focus on the appearance of new murals and the activist Aida Corovic's interpretation of them as an official campaign.
- The New Haven Register and The Independent emphasize the UEFA fine against Red Star Belgrade, detailing the amount and the ban on away fans.
- Balkan Insight (BIRN) and Agence France-Presse highlight the attendance of Serbian and Bosnian Serb officials, including Serbia's justice minister, at Mladic's commemoration.
- Daily Sabah and Euronews mention the broader condemnation across the Balkans and the EU commissioner's canceled visit over the Mladic funeral controversy.
Source Perspectives
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