Serbia has agreed to drop charges against the widow of Slobodan Milosevic, clearing the way for a funeral to be held in the country governed by the former Serbian and Yugoslav president, who died under indictment for war crimes in The Hague on Saturday.

The Belgrade district court on Tuesday cancelled the arrest warrant against Mirjana Markovic, who has been living in Russia for the past two years to avoid arrest for her alleged abuse of power during Mr Milosevic’s rule, according to officials of Mr Milosevic’s party.