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Serbia in a 'spiral of silence': Two reasons why students are not protesting against the Chetnik funeral
Croatia🏛️ PoliticsLean Progressive3 hr. ago

Serbia in a 'spiral of silence': Two reasons why students are not protesting against the Chetnik funeral

Thousands of people attended a state funeral in Serbia for Rato Mladić, a war criminal convicted for his role in the Bosnian War. Despite widespread international condemnation, the event was marked by a notable absence of public protest, particularly among students who historically lead social movements in the country. Reporter Ana Mlinarić reported from Belgrade that there were no mass demonstrations against the funeral, unlike protests around other social issues. The silence is attributed to two factors: first, many citizens avoid controversial topics to prevent conflict, and second, student organizations lacked consensus on how to respond to the event. This phenomenon has been described as a 'spiral of silence,' where individuals refrain from speaking out due to fear of backlash or division. The situation occurs amid heightened political tension ahead of expected presidential election announcements.

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tportal logotportalIndependentProgressiveFactual 85Objective 60yesterday
Miljenić: Why the EU is silent on the glorification of Ratko Mladić in Serbia

Orsat Miljenić, head of the Office of Croatia's President Zoran Milanović, criticized the European Union for remaining silent while Serbia honors war criminal Ratko Mladić. He accused the Serbian regime of glorifying Mladić, who began his criminal activities by attacking Croatia and ended with the genocide in Srebrenica. Miljenić expressed concern over the EU's lack of response and called on Croatia to take action, including blocking Serbia's EU accession, using mechanisms available to Croatia as an EU member. He emphasized that Croatia must remain firm in protecting its national interests and uphold EU principles.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the EU's silence on Serbia's honoring of a convicted war criminal as a failure to uphold values, and calls for Croatia to act decisively against Serbia's EU accession. The tone is critical of the EU's inaction and emphasizes national sovereignty and moral responsibility, aligning

Why factuality (85): The article presents a strong argument based on widely accepted historical facts regarding Ratko Mladić's role in war crimes, including his involvement in the Srebrenica genocide. It references the broader context of Serbian state support for Mladić and criticizes the EU's silence. While these claim

Why objectivity (60): The tone is strongly critical of the Serbian government and the EU, using emotionally charged language such as 'zločinac' (criminal) and 'šuti' (stay silent). The author frames the issue as a moral failing of the EU and Serbia, showing clear bias toward supporting Croatia and criticizing European in

Jutarnji list logoJutarnji listIndependentConservative3 hr. ago
Mladic's daughter Zdravka Čolić deleted her profile after liking posts praising Mladic: "Shame on you!"

Una Čolić, daughter of famous singer Zdravko Čolić, deactivated her Instagram profile after it was revealed she had liked posts praising wartime criminal Ratko Mladić. This came to light through screenshots shared by Bosnian-Herzegovinian influencer Mirza Mustafagić, who posted evidence of her likes, including a post honoring Mladić by Banja Luka mayor Draško Stanivuković. Una attempted to justify herself, claiming she did not actively manage her account and may have accidentally liked the content. Mustafagić criticized her actions, calling it shameful, and refused to remove the posts, arguing individuals must take responsibility for their online activity.

Bias read (Conservative): The article frames Una Čolić’s actions as morally unacceptable, using strong language like 'shameful' and emphasizing the controversy around Mladić, a convicted war criminal. The tone criticizes her for liking posts that glorify him, aligning with a perspective that condemns such actions as unpatrio

Net.hr logoNet.hrIndependentProgressive9 hr. ago
We talked to a Serb who is ashamed of Ratko Mladic: 'Heavy burden and shame for Serbia'

The article discusses the funeral of Ratko Mladić, a war criminal convicted for his role in the Srebrenica genocide, held in Belgrade. The event drew large crowds and included military honors, with some attendees praising Mladić as a national hero. This has sparked controversy, particularly among victims' families and veterans who criticize the glorification of a war criminal. Prominent figures such as Slavko Barić, president of a veterans’ association, condemned the event as inappropriate and warned against normalizing such actions. The funeral took place amid broader political tensions, with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić notably absent, though his son and several high-ranking officials attended. The European Commission appears to have remained silent on the matter.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the event as a controversial glorification of a war criminal, emphasizing criticism from victims' families, veterans, and analysts. It highlights the absence of high-profile political figures like Vučić while noting the presence of other officials, suggesting a critique of the Ser

N1 Hrvatska logoN1 HrvatskaIndependentProgressive16 hr. ago
Milanovic's advisor: Why is Brussels so conspicuously silent on the glorification of Ratko Mladic?

Orsat Miljenić, a former justice minister and head of the office of President Zoran Milanović, criticized the European Union and Serbia's government for their perceived silence regarding the honoring of war criminal Ratko Mladić in Belgrade. Miljenić argued that the Serbian regime not only accepts but actively supports and celebrates Mladić's crimes, including his role in the destruction of Croatia and the genocide in Srebrenica. He expressed concern over the EU's lack of reaction to this event, suggesting that political trade-offs between Brussels and Serbia might outweigh the values the EU promotes. Miljenić called on the Croatian government to take firm action, including blocking Serbia's EU accession, to uphold Croatia's national interests and maintain the integrity of the EU.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the EU's inaction as a failure to uphold values, criticizes the Serbian regime for celebrating a war criminal, and calls for strong Croatian action to protect national interests within the EU. The tone emphasizes moral outrage and advocacy for stricter EU governance, aligning with

Net.hr logoNet.hrIndependentCenter17 hr. ago
Serbia in a 'spiral of silence': Two reasons why students are not protesting against the Chetnik funeral

Thousands of people attended a state funeral in Serbia for Rato Mladić, a war criminal convicted for his role in the Bosnian War. Despite widespread international condemnation, the event was marked by a notable absence of public protest, particularly among students who historically lead social movements in the country. Reporter Ana Mlinarić reported from Belgrade that there were no mass demonstrations against the funeral, unlike protests around other social issues. The silence is attributed to two factors: first, many citizens avoid controversial topics to prevent conflict, and second, student organizations lacked consensus on how to respond to the event. This phenomenon has been described as a 'spiral of silence,' where individuals refrain from speaking out due to fear of backlash or division. The situation occurs amid heightened political tension ahead of expected presidential election announcements.

Bias read (Center): The article presents both perspectives, highlighting the lack of public protest while noting the absence of unified student opposition. It does not favor one side over the other but rather explains the societal dynamics behind the silence. There is no overtly biased language or selective sourcing.

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