Kosovo Serb politician shot dead

BELGRADE, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic was shot dead in North part of City of Mitrovica Tuesday.

Shyqeri Syla from Mitrovica's prosecutor office confirmed that the victim, found in front of his SDP party headquarters, was killed by an unidentified perpetrator from a moving car, while local police stated they found a burned car that was perhaps used by the attacker.

The news of the assassination instantly shook Serbia that considers Kosovo and Metohija as its autonomous province, not recognizing the unilaterally-declared independence in 2008.

"This is a terrorist act, and we will deal with it as such, meaning that the prosecution for organized crime will be in charge and will start a separate investigation," Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic revealed after an urgent meeting of the National Security Council, adding that Serbia will undertake all measures to find perpetrators.

Ivanovic began his political career in representing Kosovo Serbs in 1999. He was the State Secretary of the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija in the Government of Serbia from 2008 to 2012.

In 2009, he formed SDP. In 2017, he ran for the local elections in Kosovo with his party but lost, and became a part of the current ruling coalition. Enditem