Serbia will return the remains of a man identified by Serbian authorities as the attempted assassin of Croatian fascist leader Ante Pavelić, a move that is expected to reignite historical tensions in the Balkans.

The case centers on the question of how the body should be treated after the man died, and Serbia says it has followed the relevant legal steps before agreeing to repatriate the remains.

Officials have framed the decision as a matter of procedure and cooperation related to the handling of the dead, while critics say the return could carry political symbolism tied to the legacies of wartime fascist movements in the region.