Today marks the three-year anniversary of the assassination of Oliver Ivanovic. The occasion was once again marked separately – both in Belgrade and North Mitrovica – by the family members and friends on one side, and government representatives – including Milena Popovic and Ksenija Bozovic, on the other. The Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic once again claimed that the Serbian authorities have had a complete picture of possible perpetrators for several months now.
„Mitrovica will never be free until we find out who killed Oliver Ivanovic“
A former member of the SDP civic initiative, Marko Jaksic, together with Oliver Ivanovic’s ex-wife, Marina Ivanovic, Dejan Nedeljkovic, and dozens of friends, acquaintances, colleagues, gathered at 8:15 this morning at the site of Ivanovic’s murder to mark the anniversary of his death.
„We gathered this morning to remind the state of Serbia, the Pristina institutions, and the international community that three years after his murder, the perpetrators and instigators have still not been found,“ Dejan Nedeljkovic told the media.
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„Mitrovica will never be a free town until we find out who killed and instigated the murder of Oliver Ivanovic,“ Nedeljkovic underlined.
Ivanovic’s former colleague, Marko Jaksic stressed that the citizens and Ivanovic’s family who gathered today would always strive to remind Belgrade and Pristina, and the international community, of this horrible murder.
We will continue to call for the complete truth about his murder – Jaksic added.
He, however, assessed that it is unlikely that the truth will ever be found out until the government in Serbia changes.
Bozovic: “Sloppy investigation; it is horrifying and tragic”
Almost two hours later, members of Oliver Ivanovic’s party also gathered to light candles in Ivanovic’s honor.
„Three years later in the same place, while silence reigns in North Mitrovica, nothing has changed except that we have a sloppy investigation, three indictments and 12,000 pieces of evidence, and we return to the beginning – it is horrifying and tragic,“ Ksenija Bozovic from the SDP civic initiative said at the second commemoration of the three-year anniversary of the murder of Oliver Ivanovic held in North Mitrovica today.
„GI SDP once again calls on all competent institutions – Pristina, Belgrade, the international community, EULEX – what has been done, nothing, as to whether you will do something, we have our doubts,“ Bozovic said.
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Oliver Ivanovic’s murderers must be brought to justice, she added.
Bozovic also announced that the former Serbian minister and Ivanovic’s longtime friend, Rasim Ljajic was supposed to attend the commemoration, but he was detained at the crossing because, as they were told from Pristina, Ljajic is still listed in the database as a minister in the Serbian government.
„They don’t know that he is no longer a minister, but that he comes as an ordinary citizen to light a candle and then he will leave Kosovo. They won’t let him do that, so much for their democracy,“ said Bozovic.
The third anniversary of the murder of Oliver Ivanovic was also marked this morning in the Temple of St. Sava in Belgrade.
In addition to Ivanovic’s partner, Milena Popovic, the memorial was also attended by the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, the head of the Kosovo Office, Petar Petkovic, and the former Minister Zoran Djordjevic.
Popovic underlined that she has faith in justice and truth, expressing hope that the family will find peace at this time next year.
FOTO: Milena Popović
On the other hand, the majority of Ivanovic’s family – Ivanovic’s sons Nikola, Zarko, and Janko, as well as his brother Miroslav and sister Natasa – gathered at the New Cemetery at the Alley of Meritorious Citizens, where Oliver Ivanovic was buried.
Nikola Ivanovic thanked everyone on behalf of the family who gathered this morning.
„Oliver’s voice can still be heard through us“ – he stressed.
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FOTO: KoSSev
FOTO: KoSSev
FOTO: KoSSev
FOTO: KoSSev
Certain public figures and representatives of opposition parties, as announced, marked the anniversary in front of the Church of St. Mark in Belgrade at 5 p.m.
Vucic: Serb authorities have had a complete picture of possible killers for several months
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic also reacted this morning. He commented on the investigation of the Serbian authorities of the murder of Ivanovic.
„We have finished the complete picture of the persons who could be involved in this serious crime through our security agencies. Of course, the fact remains that we could not be present during the investigation and that we did not have direct evidence – but for that to happen some of the evidence would have to appear in our hands, or we would need the direct confession of one of the participants,“ he said.
Recalling that Serbia has not had „effective control in the field“ since 1999, Vucic added that Serbian services are working on the case and that Serbia will fight in every way to find the perpetrators of Ivanovic’s murder.
In the last three years, Vucic has repeatedly been announcing the end of the investigation, as well as providing several deadlines – none of which were met so far.
