Kosovo’s Thaci and Haradinaj condemn killing of leading Serb politician

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has strongly denounced the killing of a Serb political leader in the northern city of Mitrovica, AP reported.

Oliver Ivanovic, leader of the Citizens’ Initiative Freedom, Democracy, Justice party was shot dead Tuesday morning by still-unknown assailants.

In a reaction on his Facebook page Thaci called on law enforcement authorities “to throw light as soon as possible on the circumstances of the death so that the perpetrators are brought to justice.”

He also urged citizens in the north to cooperate with police.

Also, Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj says he considers the slaying of Oliver Ivanovic as “a punishable criminal act.”

Reacting on his Facebook page to Ivanovic’s death earlier Tuesday, Haradinaj said that “exploiting this tragic act for daily political goals, even to block processes aiming at normalizing ties between two countries, is against the logic and spirit of cooperation.”

The talks between Serbia and Kosovo at the European Union have been suspended after the killing.

“Kosovo remains committed to create a safe environment for all its citizens and is powerfully set in its Euro-Atlantic path,” Haradinaj said.

He also insisted that Kosovo authorities will do their utmost to clarify the killing adding that they will “in no situation accept the logic of calculating criminal acts for political purposes by anyone.