"Generals - heroes"

The issuance of General Ratko Mladic to a military tribunal does not mean at all that the European Union will accept Serbia with open arms. So believes an employee of the Institute of International Economic and Political Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Balkanist historian Sergei Romanenko. In an interview with Polit.ru, he said that in order to join the EU of Serbia, it is necessary to survive a long process of reconstruction.

In 1996, Ratko Mladic, along with other leaders of the Republic of Serbian, was accused by the Hague International Tribunal of Genocide. According to the tribunal, he, like other leaders of the RS, is guilty of Saraev, as well as in the massacre in Srebrenitsa. His capture was considered the main condition for Serbia entering the European Union. Mladich was detained on the morning of May 26, 2011. On June 7, his family was given foreign passports and allowed to leave Serbia. And the former army commander of the Bosnian Serbs, meanwhile, threatened to refuse food and medicine in prison if he was not provided with medical care and lawyer.

Will Serbia enter the European Union after a deal with the European Union?

Recently, this is presented as a means for the entry of Serbia to the European Union. But in fact, this is not exhausted only by the transaction. An investigation of crimes committed in the 90s is most necessary for those countries in which there was a war-Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Duchess. Because no new state can be built without investigating the crimes committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia.

Now they often talk about how Serbia will join the EU, but few recalls the investigation of previously committed crimes, their assessment and the need to rethink.

There is certainly a policy in the actions of the Serbian authorities, but do not forget about the initial meaning of the trial of Mladic and others. After all, when the tribunal was created, there was no talk of the entry of Serbia into the European Union, it was the investigation of what happened in Yugoslavia.

The issuance of Mladic and even the capture of Khadzhich does not mean at all that Serbia will join the EU, because he puts forward many different requirements. Serbia has a long -term reconstruction process. The issuance of Mladic is one of the external conditions of the EU, but it is not the only one.

How do people within the countries of the former Yugoslavia relate to the issuance of Mladic and other former military?

In Croatia, four generals were recently tried, who also participated in the war, which some call “liberation” or “defensive”. The court sentenced two former generals to a long time. In Croatia, unrest began, which, incidentally, ended quite quickly.

They used to say: here they will be given Miloshovich, what will happen? Then a similar question was asked about Karadzhich, now about Mladic. But in fact, nothing will happen. There are people who consider Mladic a hero, but even this discontent can be considered as a denial of current policy in general. Mladic can become a symbol of social protest, political.

The usual scheme is other people's generals criminals, their generals are heroes.

How probably is the voters to turn away from the President of Serbia Tadich now?

It all depends on how effective Tadich and his government will be able to use the situation. The basis of the Tadich’s election campaign was precisely the entry into the European Union and if some steps are taken in this direction, then they will soon forget about Mladica. If Tadich cannot take such steps, then the voters will remind him of everything.

How do you evaluate Russia's attitude to the court over Mladic?

In Russia, the majority of the population do not care. There is part of a politicized public, such as Eduard Limonov (Limonov took part in the siege of Sarajevo - approx. Polit.ru). But in this situation, this is a politicized population who believes that it knows how best for Serbia. And besides, why did they decide that the support of people like Mladic will benefit Russia?

Now the Balkans, and Serbia in particular, are no longer relevant for our political consciousness. And this, in general, is completely normal and natural.

If we talk about the official position of Russia, I do not think that our country will officially support Mladic, because such an act will mean a complication of relations with the current Serbian authorities, with the EU and the USA.

Mladic has been hiding since 2002. And maybe in this way he punished himself. I do not exclude that if he himself surrendered to the court, he might not have health problems , and he could also have already left prison. The fact that he disappeared, he himself pleaded guilty.

What can you say about the war in Yugoslavia? What led to her at all?

For me, the answers to several questions are still not obvious. Mladich began his career in the mid-60s, during the years of proletarian internationalism. Then the soldiers of the Yugoslav People's Army were brought up in the traditions of proletarian internationalism. And how could it turn out that people brought up in a similar spirit began to engage in and manage ethnic purges? This is not only a personal drama, but also an important social issue. Either the idea of ​​internationalism turned out to be imposed, or not acting - it is incomprehensible.

Publications of Sergey Romanenko on Polit.ru:

Constitutional games around Kosovo

Serbia: Tactical struggle for strategic issues

Russia and Radovan Karadzhich

Between Russia and the European Union