A tribunal in The Hague convicted Kosovo's former President Hashim Thaci of war crimes including murder, torture, and illegal detention committed during the 1990s war for independence from Serbia, when he served as a senior commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army. Three co-defendants also received prison sentences ranging from 13 to 25 years.
Thousands gathered in Belgrade for the funeral of Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb army commander convicted of genocide by a UN court. The elaborate funeral drew international criticism for glorifying a war criminal, though Serbia proceeded without official state honors or serving government officials.
The wreck of a steam tugboat from the early 1900s, known as the Slovenian or 'Sava's Titanic,' has surfaced from the Sava River near Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia, as extreme heat and drought cause rivers across Europe to reach record low levels.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić backed Ukraine's EU accession bid during President Volodymyr Zelensky's historic first official visit to Serbia on August 7-8, 2026. The two countries also agreed to finalize a free trade agreement by year's end, marking a significant diplomatic engagement between Ukraine and the traditionally Russia-friendly Balkan nation.
European law enforcement arrested three Syrian nationals suspected of leading migrant-smuggling networks in a coordinated operation involving 240 officers across Germany and Serbia. The networks allegedly smuggled more than 900 migrants along Mediterranean and Balkan routes.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced Saturday he will resign within weeks and call early presidential and parliamentary elections, following 18 months of youth-led anti-government protests. The move could allow him to transition to prime minister if his party wins the ballot.
Massive anti-government demonstrations in Serbia's capital turned violent as riot police clashed with protesters and fired tear gas. The student-led movement, which began after the Novi Sad rail station disaster in November 2024, is demanding early elections and an end to President Aleksandar Vučić's decade-long rule.
