Witness in Ivanovic’s murder afraid to talk about criminal groups in the north

A member of the Kosovo Police from the north is testifying at the trial of those accused of killing Serbian politician Oliver Ivanovic. Ç.I., who injured himself in 2014 by unknown and masked persons said he did not know anyone among the accused.

He was asked if there was a criminal group in northern Kosovo. The witness testified but did not elaborate, arguing that he did not know who was leading those criminal groups. He declined to comment on the names of the leaders of the criminal groups for security reasons.

The witness said he had known Oliver Ivanovic for 30 years and that they were friends. He says that after Ivanovic was released from custody, they were seen from time to time. He also said that Ivanovic knew that he was in danger and that he had informed the competent authorities in Belgrade and Pristina, writes the portal KoSSev.

At the time of Ivanovic’s assassination, he said he was at work in the southern part of Mitrovica.

He said Oliver was a big, strong man who had a lot of information, but was “closed” and did not talk much about his safety.

Oliver Ivanovic was killed on January 16, 2018, in front of his party headquarters in Mitrovica. Marko Rosic, Nedeljko Spasojevic, Dragisa Markovic, Zarko Jovanovic, Silvana Arsovic and Rade Basara are charged with participating in an organized criminal group linked to Ivanovic’s murder.