The motive of the verdict, finding leader of CI SDP Oliver Ivanovic guilty, is to prevent him from leading the Serbs in the province, said the President of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic. He added that the verdict is an attempt to politically ‘behead’ Serbs and to justify their removal from the political scene in Kosovo. Nikolic said that the way things have played out is reminiscent of the historical event of “Cutting the Dukes” from 4 February 1804, when Turkish governors killed the most prominent Serbs to vanquish their struggle for freedom and justice.

“There is no verdict that can legalize the expulsion of Serbs, which would lead to the legalization of the seizure of part of the territory of Serbia and the abduction of Serbian ancestral homes,” said Nikolic. "Oliver Ivanovic is not guilty. Or he is guilty only because he is a Serb," concluded the President of the Republic.