Justice Minister Nela Kuburovic on Wednesday denied claims of the authorities in Pristina that the Serbian authorities were not cooperating in the investigation into the murder of Kosovo Serb political leader Oliver Ivanovic.

She said that Belgrade has been persistently replying to Pristina’s demands and has been waiting for months to get information and evidence.

“The Organized Crime Prosecution sent three requests for mutual legal assistance to Pristina in January and February. The prosecution in Pristina has not replied fully, sending only partial replies, 10 months later,” the minister commented in written the statement from the office of the Kosovo Chief Prosecutor which said that Belgrade was not cooperating in the investigation.

Kuburovic said the Serbian prosecution responded to seven of the eight requests it received from Pristina. “One of the requests included several different demands which were not precise, and we are working on it and will reply to the authorities in Pristina soon,” she said.

Belgrade-based daily Blic reported yesterday, quoting Koha Ditore daily and Kallxo portal from Pristina, that the Office of the Chief Kosovo Prosecutor announced that Serbia "did not cooperate with them" on shedding light to the murder of the CI SDP leader Oliver Ivanovic.

The prosecution said that the statement of the Serbian justice minister Nela Kuburovic, on Pristina refusing to conduct investigations with Belgrade in connection to the murder of Ivanovic, was not true, Pristina based media reported.

The statement claimed that immediately after the Ivanovic's assassination, several "requests for international legal cooperation" were submitted to the authorities in Belgrade, but only some information was received which are not essential for clarifying the murder.

Belgrade asked for and got bullet shells from Pristina, but the prosecution has not yet received the findings of their expertise, the prosecutor's office said, adding that no answers were received regarding IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity), SMS, Ivanovic's received and dialed phone numbers, the statement said.

The statement also added that the Kosovo Prosecutor's Office "is still ready for cooperation" and that "it is dedicated to the task of clarifying Ivanovic's murder".