Balkan advisory group urges von der Leyen to skip Belgrade visit over Mladić burial

The Balkan in Europe advisory group has publicly urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to cancel a planned pre-election visit to Belgrade, citing Serbia's 'civilizational threshold' after the burial of Ratko Mladić. The call reflects heightened Western scrutiny of Serbia's nationalist symbolism and could complicate EU-Serbia relations ahead of elections. The visit's status remains unconfirmed, and the group's influence is limited, but the episode signals growing friction over Serbia's EU integration path.