During a recent Belgrade derby between Red Star and Partizan, Red Star supporters unfurled a large banner reading General eternal glory and thanks, honoring the late Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb commander convicted of genocide.
A Legacy of Nationalist Symbolism in the Stands
Mladic entered Srebrenica in 1995 with the phrase Pravac Potocari, where he oversaw the massacre of Bosniak men and boys, a crime that led to his life sentence for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, which he served until his death in The Hague on August 27 2023.
UEFA responded by imposing a fine of 98250 euros on Red Star and banning its fans from traveling to two upcoming European matches, a penalty that forms part of a broader disciplinary history that includes previous sanctions for racist conduct.
Critics such as Slobodan Georgiev have labeled the tribute the most shameful event in the Marakana stadium, linking it to a longstanding pattern of nationalist messaging within Serbian football terraces.
Partizan’s hardcore supporters, known as the Grobari, also displayed a banner reading General thank you during a match against OFK Beograd, keeping Mladic’s flag aloft for the entire fixture, underscoring the depth of admiration among some fan groups.
The ties between these fan factions and Serbian authorities have long been documented, with some ultras perceived as extensions of government policy, a relationship highlighted when a state plane transported Mladic’s body from The Hague to Belgrade for a military honoured burial.
UEFA’s sanctions, which include multiple fines and an extended two year suspended stadium ban, illustrate the challenges of enforcing penalties against hooliganism, as inconsistent application allows such displays to persist despite legal frameworks.
Analysts warn that without consistent enforcement and deeper societal reckoning, the glorification of figures like Mladic will continue to reflect and reinforce extremist narratives within Serbian football.