War criminal Ratko Mladić was buried, with military honors, in a tomb at the Topčider cemetery.
In the church of St. Luke in Vidikovac, where Mladić's body was exposed, he served the funeral the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirija.
Porfirije pointed out that Mladić's name will remain deeply present in the memory and prayers of the majority of the Serbian Orthodox people, who, as he stated, feel gratitude towards him.
In a speech in front of Mladić's bier, Porfirije said that the Serbian people see in him a soldier and a commander who stood at the head of his nation's army in one of the most difficult and tragic periods.
According to his words, during that time, Mladić took responsibility and a heavy burden, made a sacrifice and laid down his life for the freedom, defense and survival of his people.
At the same time, Porfirije emphasized that Mladić's life and role cannot be viewed separately from the period of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which he described as a time of great suffering, deep wounds and trauma, lost lives, homes and graves.
Speaking about the prayer for the deceased, the patriarch stated that the Church, praying for Mladić's soul following the example of Jesus Christ, also prays for all the people whose lives were lost during that war. He asked God to forgive Mladić for all his sins, whether they were voluntary or involuntary, known or unknown.
Officials from Serbia and Republika Srpska also attended the Opel.
Photo: Oliver Bunić/TanjugPatriarch Porfirije at the funeral of Ratko Mladić
In his sermon, Patriarch Porphyry addressed the question of earthly justice, judging that human judgments have limited scope and that, like man, they depend on different circumstances, both known and unknown, visible and invisible, objective and deceptive.
He reminded that there are historical experiences of entire nations that show that earthly courts and justice are not always applied to everyone in the same way, as well as that the Serbian people bear bitter experiences of this kind.
While stressing that man cannot be freed from responsibility for his actions before the earthly court, Porphyry assessed that this court is still not infallible. According to him, only God, whose justice is eternal and whose word is true, can make a final and completely just judgment.
Porfirje added that the SPC does not pronounce a final judgment on any person when it comes to eternity. Instead, as he said, the Church constantly prays for everyone and leaves the final decision to God, who alone knows the heart of every person and whose judgment is completely just.
After the funeral service, the coffin with Mladić's remains was taken out of the church and put into the hearse.
Who came?
Among those gathered is the son of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, Danilo Vučić.
In addition to him, there are numerous ministers in the Government of Serbia - Minister of Defense Bratislav Gašić, Minister of Justice Nenad Vujić, Minister without portfolio Nenad Popović, Minister of Culture Nikola Selaković, Minister of Public Investments Darko Glišić, as well as Minister of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski.
Aleksandar Bocan Kharchenko also gave the letter to Mladić, the Russian ambassador in Belgrade.
The leader of the ruling coalition in the Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, also came to pay his respects to Mladić, as did the mayor of Banja Luka, Draško Stanivuković.
To pay their respects to Ratko Mladić, the president of the New Democratic Party of Serbia Miloš Jovanović, then Aleksandar Vulin, as well as Danica Grujicić came.
Three hundred priests in red robes
There were already a lot of people in front of the church from the early hours of the morning, and the former minister Aleksandar Vulin was also noticed. The informant broadcasts everything live and writes that "300 priests in special red robes, which is a special expression of respect and reverence for the deceased" came.
From the morning, mostly men gathered in front of the church, wearing T-shirts with the image of Mladić, but also with the motifs of Republika Srpska and Kosovo, reports the reporter of "Vremena". Those gathered complain about the heat and talk about Mladic, disputing the Hague Tribunal, which they say delivered the verdict without evidence.
Those who came from Republika Srpska mostly say that the trip was organized, through the Association of Veterans or in some other way. These are people primarily from Bratunac, Teslić, Banja Luka, but also from Pale. There are also those who said that they arrived in their car.
Those gathered are waiting for the place from which they will be closest to the column where the coffin with Mladić will pass because they say they did not get to enter the church because they had to wait for several hours, adds the "Vremena" journalist.
Due to the crowd, there will be changes in traffic on lines 23, 50, 53, 57, 59 as well as 3A, 42 and 49.
Svetozar Andrić, a member of the team for organizing the funeral, previously told the SRNA agency that a column will then be formed to escort Mladić to the Topčider cemetery, where he will be buried next to his daughter Ana.
IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH OF ST. THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST LUKE; PHOTO TANJUG/MILOŠ MILIVOJEVIĆ/bsThe coffin with the body of General Mladić is on display in the Church of Saint Luke in Vidikovac, PHOTO: TANJUG/MILOŠ MILIVOJEVIĆ/bs
Photo: Oliver Bunić/TanjugMembers of the Serbian Armed Forces are standing next to the coffin, PHOTO: TANJUG/ OLIVER BUNIC/bs
Highest military honors
The convict from The Hague will be buried with the highest military honors.
Upon arrival at the Topčider cemetery, the remains of Mladić will be followed by an honor unit to the grave site, after which there will be a ceremonial firing and farewell speeches, Andrić stated, adding that the arrival of people from Republika Srpska and Serbia will be regulated and organized.
From Bosnia and Herzegovina to the funeral of Ratko Mladić people arrive in at least 13 buses, with an unconfirmed announcement of the arrival of "dozens" of them. Special bus transport is also organized from Pljevlja in Montenegro.
Will the government attend the funeral?
There are no announcements about who from the top of the state could attend, and President Aleksandar Vučić said that during that period he will have a meeting with the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, "whose visit was scheduled several months ago."
The commemoration organized this Saturday at the Army House in Belgrade was attended by Serbian Minister of Justice Nenad Vujić, Republika Srpska President Siniša Karan, as well as Radan Ostojić, Minister of Labor and Veterans' and Disability Protection of that entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A number of European officials condemned the tribute to Mladic.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos she canceled her visit to Belgrade planned for September 10, where he was supposed to meet with representatives of the government, the opposition and civil society, because he believes that "the glorification that follows his death is not in accordance with the values on which the European path rests."
Vučić called Kos's statement "stupid".
Darko Mladić, the son of Ratko Mladić, during yesterday's television guest appearance, asked people who plan to come not to buy flowers, but to pay the amount they would allocate for that purpose to a humanitarian organization of their choice, one that collects funds for the treatment of sick children.
Previously, at the press conference, where he claimed that his father died due to negligent treatment in the prison hospital, he called on citizens to come in as many numbers as possible to "see him off with dignity and peace", adding that that day should not be a reason for conflicts.
For now, there is no publicly available information on whether the funeral will also mean changes in traffic in this part of the Belgrade municipality of Savski venac.
The N1 reporter reported that a video beam, public toilets were installed near the place where this gathering will be organized, and that communal services have been cleaning the surroundings for the past two days.
Since yesterday, Serbian flags have been placed at the entrances to the Church of St. Luke, and the clergy of this Orthodox church has invited believers and volunteers to help in the organization due to the expected large number of people.
The former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, convicted of war crimes and genocide in Srebrenica, died on August 27, at the age of 84, in a prison hospital in The Hague.
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