Official: Claim Belgrade wanted Ivanovic jailed "monstrous"

Kosovo Serbs already know for themselves that a "rift" exists between them and Belgrade. It is Serbia's understandable interest in the EU that leads it to have a policy that ultimately requires giving up Kosovo.

Belgrade’s role in the EU decision to prosecute Oliver Ivanovic has been generally suspected since his detention in 2014. I heard it from various sources, including recently from those I find credible and in a position to know. But I cannot reveal them.

Whatever the case, it seems clear that the original arrest of Ivanovic — after he narrowly lost the race for mayor of north Mitrovica but before the second election — served Belgrade’s political agenda. It did not want a strong local leader in north Kosovo who was also willing to begin the process of dealing pragmatically with the international community and the Pristina institutions. It wanted someone more compliant as it apparently preferred using Kosovo Serbs as a bargaining chip with Pristina.

It is clear that for Serbia, prospective EU membership is too important to hold hostage to Kosovo. But continued relationships between Serbs in Serbia and Kosovo could continue even with full recognition of Kosovo independence. Belgrade rather plays games — including over Ivanovic — than make the necessary decision to put Kosovo status behind it. Kosovo will never be part of Serbia again. Better to ensure that Kosovo Serbs have full benefit of the agreements reached in Brussels and leaders like Oliver Ivanovic.

Gallucci sounds like a bit of a loony to me who has invented a new version of Chinese whispers where you start with a lie and see how much bigger it can become. Kozarev would have been better served to dismiss this man's words completely rather than agree with the bits he liked and trash the other comments. I have no idea whether Ivanovic is innocent or guilty but the idea that (official) Belgrade is in on his incarceration sounds bizarre in the extreme.

It is very telling that for all this talk, nobody cares to observer closely whether the man is actually guilty of anything. It is very much like the Seselj problem.

"It was Belgrade that reportedly suggested to the international prosecutors that they take Ivanovic when they were looking around for a Kosovo Serbian head to take."

It's not totally absurd, if you read the ruling about him being responsible for the crimes committed against civilians in Kosovo the explanation is a bit weak, so it can lead to the impression that Ivanovic is a scapegoat, for protecting the persons who were giving the orders, and his conviction might a little present to calm down the Kosovo Albanians who (hopefully) will see in the future some high ranking persons of their current leadership being imprisoned for being responsible for the war crimes committed against civilians by the KLA 'freedom fighters' after the KLA war crime court starts its long overdue work.

(ned taylor, 4 February 2016 18:41)

Perhaps "bizarre", but also the only thing that makes any sense. Ivanovic is the only Serbian politician on the Kosovo Serb scene today who was a Serbian politician in Kosovo before Milosevic. He speaks fluent Albanian. He is actually FROM Kosovo, unlike most Kosovo Serbian politicians. He's practical and someone that everyone can work with.

Now, who wins more from chaos in Kosovo? It's Serbia and most Kosovo Serbian politicians who get to earn double salaries for doing nothing and get to do all their tax scams of which much as been written.

Serbia gets to get rid of their only politician capable of actually getting anything done on the ground. Serbia gets a Serb in the "guilty" column in the upcoming Kosovo war crimes court.

It's a win-win for those in favour of perpetuating the status quo in Kosovo for as long as possible.

Gallucci's analysis is spot-on

Gallucci sounds like a bit of a loony to me who has invented a new version of Chinese whispers where you start with a lie and see how much bigger it can become. Kozarev would have been better served to dismiss this man's words completely rather than agree with the bits he liked and trash the other comments. I have no idea whether Ivanovic is innocent or guilty but the idea that (official) Belgrade is in on his incarceration sounds bizarre in the extreme.

It is very telling that for all this talk, nobody cares to observer closely whether the man is actually guilty of anything. It is very much like the Seselj problem.

"It was Belgrade that reportedly suggested to the international prosecutors that they take Ivanovic when they were looking around for a Kosovo Serbian head to take."

It's not totally absurd, if you read the ruling about him being responsible for the crimes committed against civilians in Kosovo the explanation is a bit weak, so it can lead to the impression that Ivanovic is a scapegoat, for protecting the persons who were giving the orders, and his conviction might a little present to calm down the Kosovo Albanians who (hopefully) will see in the future some high ranking persons of their current leadership being imprisoned for being responsible for the war crimes committed against civilians by the KLA 'freedom fighters' after the KLA war crime court starts its long overdue work.

(ned taylor, 4 February 2016 18:41)

Perhaps "bizarre", but also the only thing that makes any sense. Ivanovic is the only Serbian politician on the Kosovo Serb scene today who was a Serbian politician in Kosovo before Milosevic. He speaks fluent Albanian. He is actually FROM Kosovo, unlike most Kosovo Serbian politicians. He's practical and someone that everyone can work with.

Now, who wins more from chaos in Kosovo? It's Serbia and most Kosovo Serbian politicians who get to earn double salaries for doing nothing and get to do all their tax scams of which much as been written.

Serbia gets to get rid of their only politician capable of actually getting anything done on the ground. Serbia gets a Serb in the "guilty" column in the upcoming Kosovo war crimes court.

It's a win-win for those in favour of perpetuating the status quo in Kosovo for as long as possible.

Gallucci's analysis is spot-on

Kosovo Serbs already know for themselves that a "rift" exists between them and Belgrade. It is Serbia's understandable interest in the EU that leads it to have a policy that ultimately requires giving up Kosovo.

Belgrade’s role in the EU decision to prosecute Oliver Ivanovic has been generally suspected since his detention in 2014. I heard it from various sources, including recently from those I find credible and in a position to know. But I cannot reveal them.

Whatever the case, it seems clear that the original arrest of Ivanovic — after he narrowly lost the race for mayor of north Mitrovica but before the second election — served Belgrade’s political agenda. It did not want a strong local leader in north Kosovo who was also willing to begin the process of dealing pragmatically with the international community and the Pristina institutions. It wanted someone more compliant as it apparently preferred using Kosovo Serbs as a bargaining chip with Pristina.

It is clear that for Serbia, prospective EU membership is too important to hold hostage to Kosovo. But continued relationships between Serbs in Serbia and Kosovo could continue even with full recognition of Kosovo independence. Belgrade rather plays games — including over Ivanovic — than make the necessary decision to put Kosovo status behind it. Kosovo will never be part of Serbia again. Better to ensure that Kosovo Serbs have full benefit of the agreements reached in Brussels and leaders like Oliver Ivanovic.