Ivanovic to be transferred to northern Kosovska Mitrovica

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - The leader of Citizens' Initiative Serbia, Democracy, Justice Oliver Ivanovic will be transferred from a detention unit in Pristina to northern Kosovska Mitrovica, Ivanovic's lawyer Nebojsa Vlajic said on Thursday.

An EULEX judge ordered the transfer because Ivanovic, his family and I as his lawyer have encountered many problems. Vlajic said in a statement to Tanjug.

He added that it is the "first small step" towards ensuring safety for Ivanovic and keeping his life out of the danger it has been in until now.

The leader of Citizens' Initiative Serbia, Democracy, Justice and candidate for mayor of northern Kosovska Mitrovica in the February 23 elections has been in detention since January 27.

He was arrested on suspicion of involvement in an alleged war crime in 1999 and post-war incidents in 2000, including an aggravated murder, and for inciting to ethnically motivated murder.

Following Ivanovic's arrest, leaders of political parties and institutions in northern Kosovska Mitrovica as well as the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija have demanded from the Pristina judiciary that he be released pending trial.

Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic protested Ivanovic's arrest in the strongest of terms before the UN Security Council on February 10.

He said that the arrest took place just before the mayoral elections in northern Mitrovica - in which Ivanovic is one of the candidates - and demanded his release.

On the same day, the Serbian government provided guarantees that Ivanovic and three other Serbs will be available to the Eulex mission throughout their trials.

Photo Tanjug/Boki