A taxi driver from northern Mitrovica, who went missing three days ago and is suspected to have been killed, is a relative of Oliver Ivanovic.

Ksenija Bozovic, now the leader of Ivanovic's party, CI SDP, confirmed for the Kosova Press agency that the missing taxi driver is a relative of Ivanovic.

"We are extremely worried. He was an honest man, he was constantly it touch with Oliver and he often came to the headquarters of the Initiative (CI SDP). I don't know the real reason why this is happening, but it's sad," said Bozovic.

She appealed to the competent authorities to shed light on this case as soon as possible.

Referring to its sources, the agency's website writes that "a trace of blood" had been found in the missing man's taxi.

Kosovo police official in northern Kosovo, Besim Hoti, confirmed that the vehicle had been found, and that the police "immediately came to the scene, and an investigation has been opened."

Hoti confirmed that "traces that could indicate that a crime was committed" had been found in the car but did not specify what kind of traces.

"They weren't close"

Oliver Ivanovic's widow Milena Ivanovic told the Belgrade-based tabloid Alo on Wednesday upon learning the news that the missing man, whose initials are I.V. (representing last then first name, according to official Serbian convention), and her late husband were not closely related.

She also said that she feared this information had been placed "maliciously."

"Oliver and Vladimir were not close relatives. It's customary with us to refer to people who have the same last name as 'cousins' - but in my 12 years living with Oliver, I never had any close contact with him (Vladimir), nor has my husband. Vladimir was engaged in the party, just as hundreds of other people," Ivanovic said.

"I fear that this news has been placed maliciously, but I expect competent institutions to react and investigate the case," she said.

Oliver's brother

Miroslav Ivanovic, Oliver Ivanovic' brother, told N1 that the taxi driver, that the media reported about as their close relative, is not part of the family.

"I know the person, if it is about Vlada Ivanovic, but we are not close relatives. I rarely saw him last few years, and it was in a taxi in front of my apartment. We are not the same family, we have the same family name, but the family is an old one from Mitrovica" said Miroslav Ivanovic for the regional broadcaster N1.

Speaking of statements that appeared in the media, and in which the missing man is brought into a family relationship with the late Oliver, Miroslav Ivanovic says that the person who gave the statement "is certainly not sufficiently familiar".