All my life I’ve spent doing the opposite of what I’m charged. Therefore, I hope the Court of Appeal will, when considering my case, come to that conclusion. I believe that the verdict will be overturned into acquittal, because that will be the only just solution.
These are the words of the leader of Civic Initiative SDP Oliver Ivanović, from the interview for “Novosti”, who after nearly two years of litigation, was sentenced to nine years in prison. Practically without proof.
His legal team has recently filed a complaint with EULEX court in Mitrovica, and to our question why he believes in the turnaround after the shocking verdict, Ivanović replied:
– This judgment has no sense since I am accused of something I absolutely did not do. As such, it can pass the first instance, as in my case, but there are the Court of Appeal, Supreme and international courts, and I certainly will not stop. I am convinced in the positive outcome.
Do you have the strength to continue to fight?
– From the beginning, I am aware that EULEX wants to break me. I have never allowed anyone to do it in my life, not even them. I think I’m stronger than they thought, and I will endure all this. Because, I’m taking the fight not only for myself and my family but the entire Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija.
How do you explain the constant obstruction of Albanians, who it seems, cannot reconcile with the establishment of the Association/Community of Serbian Municipalities (A/CSM)?
– It is necessary to convene a meeting and form the executive and legislative bodies of the A/CSM, because then there will be fewer reasons for Albanians for the postponement of its formation. It is very important to choose high-quality and credible people in leadership positions, because not only here but throughout the Balkans, a man represents an institution. If you choose bad people, then institutions will be bad too.
Your SDP lost its last important functions in Kosovska Mitrovica with dismissal of Ksenija Božović. What are the key reasons for this move?
– It was expected and it is evident that the goal was to dismiss people from the SDP from all important positions. The saddest thing is that people with little human credibiliity filed the initiative for Ksenija’s dismissal, or those who due to financial or other interests have left the SDP. Her “terrible mistake” was that she, at the session of the Assembly, before the members, raised the question about the amount of funds spent that is exceeding one million euros, for which there was no explanation.
The party will survive
Whether the SDP will survive after your councilors moved into the SNS?
– Despite all the SDP will continue and survive. New people are coming, we will be much more cautious than before, because we can not let that in the elections we get councilors’ mandates, and someone “buy” them after the elections.
