North Mitrovica assembly member shot dead

The Office for Kosovo fiercely condemned the murder of Dimitrije Janicijevic, councillor in municipal assembly of northern Kosovska Mitrovica and member of the Independent Liberal Party. The Office demands that EULEX and the international community solve the case immediately and bring the perpetrators to justice. the office stated in the release. Janicijevic was shot from an automatic firearm in front of his home in northern Kosovska Mitrovica some time after midnight, The press correspondent reported from the Mitrovica hospital where Janicijevic was taken without any signs of life.

GRACANICA - The Independent Liberal Party (SLS) condemned in the strongest terms on Thursday the murder of its councilor Dimitrije Janicijevic, 35, in northern Kosovska Mitrovica. "We call on relevant authorities to find and punish perpetrators of this act of cowardice as soon as possible," the SLS stated in a release. The party extended heartfelt condolences to the Janicijevic family.

Aleksandar Vulin, Serbia's minister without portfolio responsible for Kosovo, condemned on Thursday the murder of Dimitrije Janicijevic, underlining that this is an attack on the life and security of citizens in that town, regardless of their nationality, but also on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. "I am not only calling on the international community to find the perpetrator of this horrendous act, but also offering assistance in finding the murderer or murderers," Vulin told reporters, adding that Serbia will do everything in its power to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. According to Vulin, the murder is also an attack on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, which was initiated so that people in Kosovo could live more peacefully. "If such things keep taking place, that means we have not achieved that yet," Vulin said.

The Citizens' Initiative Srpska on Thursday condemned in the strongest of terms the killing of Dimitrije Janicijevic, a councillor in the Kosovo municipality of North Mitrovica, demanding that international bodies react urgently to find the perpetrators and shed light on the motives behind the crime. "The Citizens' Initiative Srpska demands that international bodies react urgently to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice, as well as shed light on the motives behind this heinous crime to prevent anything like this from happening ever again," said a statement of the Initiative. Failure to react appropriately and find the perpetrators will result in a dangerous destabilisation of the situation, potentially leading to further escalation of violence. "For this reason, the responsibility of the international community and its mission of implementing law an order are facing a test," the statement said. The Initiative extended its deepest and sincerest condolences to the Janicijevic family.

European Parliament Rapporteur (EP) for Serbia Jelko Kacin condemned the murder of Dimitrije Janicijevic, councillor in municipal assembly of northern Kosovska Mitrovica, and added that the murder also constitutes an attack on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.
This is horrid and it also constitutes an attack on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Kacin said on his Twitter profile.

Adrijana Hodzic, head of the Kosovo government's administrative office in northern Mitrovica, condemned in the strongest terms the killing of councilor Dimitrije Janicijevic in this town and urged that perpetrators be brought to justice. In a statement to reporters, Hodzic said that the murder of Janicijevic shocked citizens in northern Mitrovica, noting that this is "a horrendous act which claimed one young life". Hodzic underlined her expectation that all relevant authorities will engage in shedding light on this murder and punishing culprits. Dr. Milan Ivanovic, director of the health center in Kosovska Mitrovica, told Tanjug on Thursday that Janicijevic was taken to hospital 42 minutes after midnight, but he showed no signs of life. Janicijevic had multiple injuries, over a dozen firearm wounds on his chest and stomach, Ivanovic said, adding that doctors tried to resuscitate him for more than a half an hour, but without success.

PRISTINA - EULEX spokesperson Irina Gudeljevic stated on Thursday that the investigation concerning the murder of Dimitrije Janicijevic is being conducted by the EULEX operating group in Mitrovica together with the Kosovo Police Service and the Prosecutor's Office. They are investing maximum efforts in solving the case, Gudeljevic told Tanjug and added that the autopsy will be performed later in the day. Gudeljevic said that she cannot provide any more details pertaining to the case at the moment, and added that EULEX is calling on all potential witnesses of the attack or anyone who has any information relevant to the case to contact the Kosovo police or EULEX.

Besim Hoti, deputy regional director of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS), said on Thursday that the KPS and EULEX police are together carrying out an investigation into the murder of councilor Dimitrije Janicijevic in northern Kosovska Mitrovica. "According to preliminary results of the probe, we believe that the victim was shot dead with a 9mm-calibre gun," Hoti told the press, adding that Janicijevic's body was taken on Thursday morning to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Pristina for an autopsy. "The case was flagged as an aggravated murder," Hoti said, adding that police received the information about the murder 30 minutes after midnight and went to the site immediately. He underscored that the KPS and EULEX special unit are conducting the investigation, which is currently in the preliminary phase of collecting evidence and taking statements. When it comes to the motive, we exclude nothing, Hoti said, noting that the killing could be linked to some events from the past, as several attacks on Janicijevic were registered earlier.
He noted that unknown assailants shot at Janicijevic's shop in northern Kosovska Mitrovica several times, adding that a bomb was once planted in front of his shop, and another time on his car.

EU Special Representative to Kosovo-Metohija Samuel Zbogar condemned on Thursday the murder of Dimitrije Janicijevic, a councilor in the municipal assembly of northern Mitrovica, and underscored that the entire case should be solved as soon as possible. In a situation so complex as it is now in the north of Kosovo, at the moment when democratic and legitimate institutions are being formed, such a murder should be condemned and the entire case solved as soon as possible, Zbogar said, offering condolences to the Janicijevic family. We call for full investigation, using all available forces of Kosovo police, reads a release issued by Zbogar, who is currently in Brussels. He added that he was informed that EULEX already provided assistance as was the case every time when the rule of law was at risk in Kosovo. Zbogar stressed that any use of violence to stop political change or confront the complex social situation is completely unacceptable. We should all work together, citizens of northern Mitrovica of all communities, Kosovo forces of peace and order and international representatives to defuse tensions and protect not only human dignity, but also the most important that people have - their lives, Zbogar noted.

Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Jean-Claude Schlumberger condemned the murder of Dimitrije Janicijevic late on Wednesday.
In a release, Schlumberger said that he was shocked by the news of Janicijevic's murder and added that he condemns the act. Janicijevic was appointed to represent the interests of all voters and this had to be respected in any democratic society, head of the OSCE mission in Kosovo said and expressed condolences to the family of the murdered councillor of northern Kosovska Mitrovica municipal assembly. Schlumberger called on the authorities to do all they can to investigate the shameful crime and bring perpetrators to justice.