Indictees in Ivanovic's Murder Declared Innocent

The six accused of killing Oliver Ivanov, today during the session for initial examination at the Pristina Foundation Court, have been declared innocent of their involvement in the Serbian politician's murder.

Only accused Nedelko Spasojevic and Zhargo Jovanovic have pleaded guilty to the criminal offence for unauthorized possession of the weapon, but not for assisting Ivanovic's murder for what it charges him with.

Their statements were given after reading the indictment by Special Prosecutor, Blerim Isufaj, whose reading of the indictment said Marko Rassic, Nedelko Spasojevicq, Dragisa Markoviq, Zarko Jovanovic, Silvana Arsovic and Radeta Basara have been involved in the criminal group, which is led by indictees, Zvon Veselinovic and Milan Radovic, who are on the run.

“which criminal group has not been formed by chance, but is acting since 2011, which the group leads the defendants, Zvonko Veselinovic and Milan Radoic, who are on the run where all these defendants act in continuation and in co-operation where they deliberately and knowingly the goal and overall activity of organised criminal group, or the intention of carrying out one or more criminal acts, which are punishable by imprisonment of at least four years, actively participated in criminal activities in the group knowing that such participation will help carry out criminal group and the indirect realisation of the financial group or other financial gains with the aim of the territory of the country in the north/HerborechDP, the secret/Precinnakafi, read in the special Pristina.

The Act, which was changed on December 27, 2019, was read in Serbian in addition to Albanian. While according to this indictment, this criminal group has committed criminal acts as serious murder and assistance in carrying out this criminal act, which led to the murder of politician Oliver Ivanovic.

This criminal group has committed criminal acts as a serious murder, aiding in committing serious murder, abuse of official office, and has caused general danger on the territory of the Republic of Kosovo. Each of the defendants has committed concrete incriminating actions for the group in question. With cases of the activities of this organised criminal group resulted in the death of the deceased, Oliver Ivanoviq”, Isufaj said.

After reading the indictment and statements of the accused, the defence of Marko Rosic, Nedelko Spasojevicq and Radeta Basara, who are in custody, demanded that the move taken against them be halted and seen opportunities for alternative measures.

The defendant's defence lawyer, Marko Rossic, Mahmut Halimi, said his client is accused of a criminal offense in the serious murder, but, according to him, he is only the victim of manipulations that have been made to conceal Ivanovic's murder.

I've already agreed, however, at the beginning of the investigation, the suspicion is, but with the taking of the subject paperwork, we've come to the conclusion that on the basis of the subject paperwork we're finding the evidence which is considered to be a key test here that piece of paper that has been found in now the deceased's pocket, Oliver Ivanov and this car has conveyed it, but the wonder when the deceased's brother in April says this is not my brother's manuscript, it's been manipulated in different ways to try to get the real perpetrators carried out, who's practically a victim of it, he said, he said.

Even the lawyer of the other indictee Nedelko Spasojevich, Faruk Kostanica, received remarks about the indictment. He demanded that the indictment be improved after he allegedly lacks the time, location and object in which the work his client is tasked with was carried out.

Against the move of house arrest against those charged in the case of Ivanovic's murder, Silvana Arsovic, Dragisa Markovic, Zarko Jovanovic, have also reacted to their defence lawyers, who called for the withdrawal of the move.

Silvana Arsovic's defence lawyer, Musa Damati, said this indictment does not offer the authors of Ivanovic's murder.

This indictment does not offer us the author of criminal acts, this indictment offers us the third or fourth layer of subjects, perhaps involved in the murder of the highest political level in Kosovo”, he said.

Civic Initiative deputy head éloboda, Democrat Pravda (SDP), Ksenija Bozovic has said Arsovic is innocent in the Ivanovic case and that, according to her, more criminality than the murder of the Serbian politician.

“Silvana is mentioned only in two countries, mainly and it is a pity that it is mentioned as a member of the criminal group. She has never been a part of this, since she was Oliver Ivanov's closest associate and friend. Why is she in charge? She was charged that she should have known that the cameras in SDP's space were not working and she was just there alone, in her workplace, and now she's supposed to have released those cameras, but who stopped them, questions and answers we don't have. As you can see from the indictment, we don't have the man who killed Oliver Ivanov. Second, if as a member of the group has helped in this, it is not who Silvana Arsovic helped. Who put pressure on Sophia Arsovitch? What information did she give him?

At the start of the initial session in Ivanovic case, the chairman of the court, Valon Kurtisha, prevented the media from getting images throughout the session with the reason they did not ask for permission in advance.

Cameras were allowed to stay in the hall until after the moment of the indictment reading by Special Prosecutor Blerim Isufaj.

The second session is held on March 16, starting at 10:00.

Otherwise, the initial review hearing was scheduled to be held on December 30, 2019, but due to the change in the indictment by the Special Prosecutor was held today.

Kosovo Special Prosecutor Marko Rassic has filed charges against Marko Rassic, Nedelko Spasojevicq, Dragisa Markovik, Zarko Jovanovic, Silvana Arsovic and Radeta Basara, who are charged with criminal acts, involvement or organisation of the criminal group, misuse of the official position, assistance in carrying out the criminal offense, unauthorised possession of the weapon, revealing the official secret and misuse of official duty by manipulating the evidence.

Ivanovic was killed on 16 January 2018, near his party's headquarters in northern Mitrovica.