Two commemorations of the third anniversary of the assassination of Kosovo Serb leader, Oliver Ivanovic will be held in North Mitrovica tomorrow. A former member of Ivanovic’s party, Marko Jaksic called on the citizens to gather and light a candle at 8:15 am at the site of Ivanovic’s murder, while the SDP civic initiative will hold a commemoration at 10 am.
Three years have passed since the leader of the GI SDP, Oliver Ivanovic, was gunned down in front of his party’s offices in North Mitrovica. The Pristina Prosecutor’s Office has filed the same number of indictments so far – none of which have been brought to a completion.
„Three years of anticipation and hope that the relevant international and Pristina institutions will invest their efforts and professionalism to finally shed light on the names of the instigators and perpetrators of the monstrous murder of Oliver Ivanovic, have passed,“ the GI SDP said in a statement.
This civic initiative underlined that the murder investigation, instead of progressing, „went a step back,“ citing as the “obstruction and lack of cooperation” of the investigative bodies of Pristina with Belgrade behind this.
Former member of the SDP GI, Marko Jaksic also underlined that little has been done to shed light to Ivanovic’s murder.
„Apart from the darkness that is increasingly surrounding the murder, a lot has been done to destroy the political idea and initiative he led; his associates are being silenced in one way or another; while some people close to him seem to have been abducted and blackmailed by the Belgrade regime,“ he claims.
Jaksic called on the citizens to gather and light a candle at 8:15 am at the site of Ivanovic’s murder, citing two reasons behind the commemoration – the respect for the Ivanovic family, while the second reason Jaksic explained by quoting Bishop Grigorije:
There was a man. And then that man was killed. A man who played the role of a lion for that people was killed. Who guided and protected it. Regardless of whether he was in power or not. Why was he killed? So that hyenas can rule.
He expressed hope that all those „who disagree with the thunderous silence and darkness surrounding Ivanovic’s assassination, or his abuse by the political option which drew a target on him before his assassination“ will be attend tomorrow’s commemoration.
On the eve of the 3rd anniversary of the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, Serbian weekly NIN published a book “Oliver, amongst brothers” penned by a NIN journalist, Milan Radonjic.
Also, an online debate „Freedom, democracy, (in)justice: three years since the murder of Oliver Ivanovic“ organized by the Mitrovica Social Club via Zoom will be held today. The debate participants include the nephew of the late Oliver Ivanovic, Aleksandar Ivanovic, as well as the journalist, Milivoje Mihajlovic.
Not only is the trial for Ivanovic’s murder not over, but it is also practically at its beginning, as the latest indictment was filed on December 11th. In the pre-trial proceedings, only one hearing was held which was interrupted due to the request of a defense attorney, Tom Gashi to remove the attorney of one of the suspects, Faruk Korenica. The request was upheld, but despite the two rejected requests of the defense attorney to continue the proceeding urgently, a new hearing was not scheduled.
Marko Rosic, Nedeljko Spasojevic, Silvana Arsovic, Zarko Jovanovic, Dragisa Markovic, Rade Basara have been accused in the trial led by the Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office before the Basic Court in Pristina.
Milan Radoicic and Zvonko Veselinovic are accused of being the leaders of a criminal group. Radoicic avoided arrest in November 2019, while an arrest warrant has been issued against Veselinovic.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
