Almost eight months after the murder of Serbian politician Oliver Ivanovic, his nephew, lawyer Aleksandar Ivanovic, confirmed what his uncle told him before his murder. Aleksandar Ivanovic published a series of statements and appearances by Oliver Ivanovic focusing on the intimidation he faced in the months preceding the murder. He also posted the following on his Facebook page:
„He said everything in 10 minutes. There is no need for anyone to interpret his words today, it is enough to listen to him. I would just mention one of our meetings at a cafe near the Temple of St. Sava, right before his murder, and after a meeting at the BIA where he went to seek protection:
I: Olje, why are you doing this? You yourself know that it’ll have no effect.
Him: I know. I reported it to everyone in Belgrade, Pristina and foreigners. I don’t want them to say – we did not know if something happens. Everybody knows everything.“
The news was reported by several media outlets, including Belgrade-based daily, the Tanjug news agency.
Immediately after that, Milena Popovic, Ivanovic’s partner with whom he spent the last year of his life and with whom he has an eight-year-old son, also reacted.
„Oliver NEVER asked anyone for protection! Not for himself, nor for his family with whom he lived in Kosovo,“ Popovic posted on her social network accounts, which she uses frequently.
„He spoke publicly about the situation in the field, to everyone, and everyone knows it. He fought sincerely and wholeheartedly for what he believed in! But he never asked anyone for protection and security! I wish he did because maybe he would be alive today,“ she also wrote.
Milena Popovic, who started working in the cabinet of the Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on „cultural projects“ in May, came into the public focus again over the weekend, after she, accompanied by the President of Serbia, paid tribute to Oliver Ivanovic at the place where he was murdered in North Mitrovica.
In addition to numerous media teams, none of Ivanovic’s associates and family members were present. Popovic then followed the President to the central square to attend the rally in the front row, along with Srpska Lista officials, Serbian government officials and the BIA chief (Security Intelligence Agency).
„My grandparents (Bogdan and Olga) had three children, Oliver, Miroslav and Natasa. Behind the three of them, there are ten of us. We were bred and raised as if we were members of one household. As far as we are concerned, the reality (show) could have gone without laying the wreath at the place where Oliver was killed,“ Aleksandar Ivanovic commented again.
The appearance of Milena Popovic, with the Serbian President in North Mitrovica triggered an avalanche of negative public reactions, which are the most visible on Twitter.
„Hey, twitter folks, shoot! Now it’s your turn. Draw a target on me, which you have been talking to about so much. Shoot!!! Only, step into my shoes before that and you may change your mind,“ Milena Popovic tweeted.
Oliver Ivanovic was killed on January 16th in front of his party’s premises in North Mitrovica. Despite the investigations conducted both in Belgrade and Pristina, and by Ivanovic’s partner, Milena Popovic, including several announcements that the results will be declared publicly, this has not happened to date. The murderer and the instigators have not been found. Ivanovic left behind five children.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
