On October 22, 2025, Serbia held a state-level funeral for Nebojša Pavković, a former Yugoslav Army general convicted of war crimes in Kosovo, granting him full military honors and a burial in the prestigious Alley of Distinguished Citizens in Belgrade. The ceremony, attended by senior government officials, military leaders, and several individuals previously convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), has provoked widespread condemnation from human rights organizations and international observers.
Pavković, who commanded the Third Army of the Yugoslav Army during the 1999 war in Kosovo, was sentenced to 22 years in prison by the Hague Tribunal for war crimes committed against ethnic Albanians. His crimes included orchestrating and overseeing mass deportations, killings, and systematic campaigns of terror during the final phase of the Kosovo conflict.
After serving his sentence in Finland, Pavković was granted early release on September 28, 2025, reportedly due to severe health issues. Following his release, he continued receiving medical treatment at the Military Medical Academy in Belgrade, where he passed away on October 20 at the age of 79.
A Controversial Burial Site
The decision to bury Pavković in the Alley of Distinguished Citizens — a section of Belgrade’s New Cemetery reserved for notable national figures — has been widely criticized. This cemetery is home to the graves of Serbia’s most respected leaders, artists, writers, and intellectuals, including Zoran Đinđić, the country’s first democratic prime minister after the fall of Slobodan Milošević.
Critics argue that placing a convicted war criminal among Serbia’s national heroes is an act of moral and historical distortion. “Burying Nebojša Pavković in this place constitutes a blatant denial of the facts established by international justice and an insult to the victims,” said the Humanitarian Law Center, a leading Serbian NGO that documents war crimes and advocates for transitional justice in the Balkans.
The organization further emphasized that honoring Pavković contradicts Serbia’s official commitment to reconciliation and justice in the region. It sends a damaging message not only to the families of victims but also to younger generations, who risk being misled about the true nature of the 1990s conflicts.
High-Level Attendance and Symbolic Gestures
The funeral drew prominent figures from Serbia’s political and military elite. Government ministers, representatives of President Aleksandar Vučić, and senior officers of the Serbian Armed Forces attended the ceremony. Also present were veterans of military units involved in the Kosovo war and several former ICTY convicts who have since returned to Serbia as celebrated figures.
The presence of these officials, along with the full military salute, was seen by many as a deliberate political statement. According to analysts, the ceremony reflects Serbia’s ongoing struggle to confront its wartime past and the continued glorification of figures associated with the Milošević regime.
Aleksandar Popov, head of the Center for Regionalism, told Radio Free Europe that the burial “is an insult to everyone who has been buried in those cemeteries before.” He stressed that this act symbolizes a dangerous normalization of war crimes in Serbia’s public discourse.
Historical Revisionism and the Politics of Memory
In the years since the Balkan wars, Serbia has faced criticism for failing to acknowledge its role in the atrocities committed during the conflicts of the 1990s. While some officials have occasionally expressed regret for civilian suffering, the state has largely avoided accepting institutional responsibility.
The rehabilitation of convicted war criminals through public events, media appearances, and now state-sanctioned funerals is part of a broader trend of historical revisionism. This trend aims to reframe individuals like Pavković as “defenders of the homeland” rather than perpetrators of war crimes, a narrative that resonates with nationalist segments of Serbian society.
Observers note that such acts hinder Serbia’s path toward European integration and regional reconciliation. “Instead of honoring those who worked for peace and democracy, Serbia continues to elevate those who were condemned for crimes against humanity,” said a regional analyst in Belgrade.
A Divided Public Reaction
Public reactions to Pavković’s death and burial have been polarized. While nationalist groups hailed him as a patriot who “defended Serbia from NATO aggression,” human rights defenders and victims’ associations condemned the government’s participation in the funeral.
Many Kosovars, especially survivors and families of victims from the 1999 war, expressed deep anger and disappointment. For them, Serbia’s decision to honor Pavković represents a continuation of the same denial that characterized the post-war years.
Nebojša Pavković’s funeral with full military honors has reignited painful memories from the Kosovo war and underscored Serbia’s unresolved relationship with its past. By granting such recognition to a convicted war criminal, the Serbian government risks further isolating itself from the values of justice and reconciliation championed by international institutions.
The burial may have been intended as an internal gesture of national pride, but for many across the Balkans — and especially for the victims of the 1999 war — it stands as a stark reminder that justice and remembrance remain deeply contested in the region.