Vucic: Pavkovic dedicated his life to serving his country, army

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic extended his condolences over the passing of former Yugoslav Army general Nebojsa Pavkovic, noting that Pavkovic had performed his duty with a strong sense of responsibility and commitment.

"It is with deep sadness that I received the news of the passing of Lt Gen Nebojsa Pavkovic. I extend my sincere and my deepest condolences to his family, friends and comrades-in-arms, as well as to all those who knew and respected him," Vucic wrote in a message of condolences.

"During his many years of service, Pavkovic left his mark as an officer who performed his duty with a strong sense of responsibility and belonging in Serbia, while looking after the people he was working with and carrying out the tasks he was entrusted with," Vucic noted.

"He will be remembered by generations of soldiers and officers for his work, discipline and the conviction that a uniform is worn with honour and a word kept as an oath. He dedicated his life to serving his country and the army, and his memory will be preserved those who shared with him difficult days, as well as days of pride," Vucic wrote.

Pavkovic died in Belgrade on Monday.

During the 1999 NATO aggression on the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, his Yugoslav Army Third Army was deployed in the territory of Kosovo-Metohija.

In 2009, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) sentenced Pavkovic to 22 years in prison on charges of crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war.

Pavkovic, who was indicted by the ICTY in October 2003, surrendered himself to the tribunal in 2005.

He arrived in Belgrade from Finland on September 28, 2025 following a request by the Serbian government for his premature release from prison.

The Hague-based International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals decided in favour of the premature release due to his serious health condition.

PM Djuro Macut and other Serbian officials have also extended condolences.