Vulin: Ivanovic facing irreversible health consequences

KLINA - Oliver Ivanovic, who is on a hunger strike in detention in Pristina, is facing irreversible health consequences, Serbian Minister without portfolio for Kosovo-Metohija Aleksandar Vulin said on Monday, requesting that Ivanovic be allowed a transfer to a detention unit in Kosovska Mitrovica.

Visiting Vidanje near Klina, western Kosovo-Metohija, Vulin said that a decision on Ivanovic's request for transfer from a detention unit in Pristina to Kosovska Mitrovica is still pending.

Ivanovic, the leader of the Citizens' Initiative Serbia, Democracy, Justice, has gone on a hunger strike requesting the transfer.

"The prosecutor is constantly appealing the judge's decision, I have never heard of an enforcement being stayed pending appeal. I am very concerned, this is the sixth day of his hunger strike. Ivanovic is over 60 years old, and I am afraid that, slowly but surely, irreversible consequences to his health are emerging," Vulin said.

The minister asked who will be responsible for Ivanovic's deteriorating health condition, recalling that all the required guarantees have been offered and all legal procedures complied with to ensure a positive response to Ivanovic's request.

"No one has as yet given any explanation and we really consider that to be a sheer act of violence, an act against Oliver Ivanovic but against Serbs as well. We request that Oliver Ivanovic and other Serbs who have been arrested be released pending trial," Vulin said.

The minister said that the Serbian government has provided all the required guarantees and that the arrestees should be released pending trial.

"Help Oliver Ivanovic avoid dying of hunger in prison in the 21st century as a result of the unwillingness to...