Special Prosecutor: Operation in Northern Kosovo to Arrest Suspects in Ivanovic Murder

Kosovo police (Beta/archive/Armenija Zajmi Besevic)

Kosovo Special Prosecutor Sul Hoxha, who is in charge of investigating Oliver Ivanovic’s murder, has said that the police operation in northern Kosovo in the morning on Oct. 16 had to do with the investigation of the assassination of the leader of the Freedom, Democracy, and Justice Initiative, and that it had targeted members of the Kosovo police suspected of hiding evidence in the case.

According to Hoxha, the police arrested R.B., while the other suspect, Z.B. was not taken in.

The other arrested person is Z.B.’s son, who was found in possession of firearms, but was not placed in detention.

The media in Pristina reported that the arrested police officer is Rade Bulat, who was in charge of investigating Ivanovic’s murder, while the other suspect is the operative head of the Regional Police in the north of Kosovo, Zeljko Bojic.

The Kossev portal reported that the operation was carried out in two locations in Northern Mitrovica, but that the police from the north was not part to it.

According to the same source, the General Directorate of the Kosovo Police from Pristina was in charge of the operation that is supposed to have been completed by the time of reporting.

Rebic: We Had Information that Operation Will take Place

Serbian Police Director Vladimir Rebic said on Oct. 16 that the police had information that ROSU will carry out an operation in northern Kosovo.

He told the RTS public service that 24 armored vehicles entered the northern half of Mitrovica early in the morning on Oct. 16, which is in violation of the existing regulations and resolutions, and is yet another action intended to intimidate the local Serbs.

Rebic also said that this shows Pristina’s “frustration” over the fact that it had to withdraw its application for Interpol membership.