Eight years after the assassination of Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanović, his family says the search for justice remains unresolved, while the Serbian state continues to offer no clear answers.
In a powerful public reflection published on the anniversary of the killing, Oliver Ivanović’s nephew, Aleksandar Ivanović, described years of frustration, doubt and moral struggle as his family continues to wait for the truth behind the murder that shocked the region in January 2018.
“Every day since that black January 16, I ask myself whether I am doing enough to uncover the truth about who killed Oliver,” Aleksandar Ivanović wrote.
A Life Defined by Resistance and Coexistence
Oliver Ivanović was known as a moderate political figure, respected by both Serbs and Albanians in northern Kosovo. According to his nephew’s account, Ivanović dedicated his life to protecting civilians, opposing extremism, and promoting coexistence, even during and after the conflict.
He remained in Kosovo after Serbian institutions withdrew, working to prevent the exodus of Serbs from the north and later entering politics with a message of reconciliation. He spoke Albanian and English and publicly advocated for peaceful coexistence under the same sky, while insisting on the rights of Serbs in Kosovo.
Detention, Pressure and Threats
Ivanović was later arrested on charges related to wartime crimes, which his family and supporters described as fabricated. He spent more than three years in detention, removed from political life at a critical moment.
According to Aleksandar Ivanović, witnesses in court allegedly embraced Oliver Ivanović, stating he had protected them rather than harmed them.
After his release, Ivanović reportedly faced intensifying pressure and threats, including arson attacks on his office and car, as well as intimidation in front of his family. His nephew claims that threats came not only from extremists, but also from within the Serbian community, warning him to stop acting outside of unofficial political “arrangements.”
Warnings Ignored, Murder Unsolved
Before his assassination, Ivanović reportedly alerted authorities in Belgrade, Prishtina, and KFOR about threats to his safety. Despite this, on January 16, 2018, he was shot in the back outside his office in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, in an area reportedly covered by surveillance cameras.
Eight years later, no definitive perpetrators have been identified, according to his family.
Aleksandar Ivanović accuses state institutions of silence, inaction, and a lack of genuine investigation, pointing to missing footage and stalled proceedings.
A Call for Accountability
In his message, Ivanović’s nephew stresses that the fight for truth is not only about one man, but about the kind of society citizens choose to accept.
“This is not about Oliver anymore. It is about the system you live in, and whether you are willing to accept it,” he wrote.
He concluded by pledging to continue seeking answers, stating that abandoning the search would mean accepting injustice for future generations.
