Oliver Ivanovic laid to rest in Belgrade/PHOTOS, VIDEO

Serbian Orthodox Bishop Teodosije led the funeral service and said that Ivanovic was respected in Kosovo and in Serbia, but also abroad, and that it "was not rare" for Albanians to also respect him, and that he would be "deeply missed by everyone."

Teodosije said Ivanovic was "not point his finger at people, but talked about problems that should be resolved together" and that to him the issue of Kosovo was "not political, but a question ofhow to improve life south and north of the Ibar" - but that he was also "there in 1999 when Kosovska Mitrovica had to be saved."

"Oliver stays with us as a symbol of our resolve to be in our own, of the struggle for truth and justice," the bishop said.

Many politicians gathered for the funeral, but none of them delivered eulogies.

Among those in attendance were former Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, PM Ana Brnbabic, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Marko Djuric, cabinet ministers Rasim Ljajic, Ivica Dacic, Aleksandar Vulin, Branko Ruzic, and Nenad Popopovic.

Opposition leaders Dragan Sutanovac, Zoran Zivkovic, Sasa Radulovic, Sasa Jankovic, Vuk Jeremic, Boris Tadic, Vuk Draskovic, and Dragan Djilas were also there, as were Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali, Serbian Army chief Ljubisa Dikovic, Patriarch Irinej, Crown Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, and many other public figures.

(Tanjug)

Tanjug reported on Thursday that President Aleksandar Vucic would pay his respects on Saturday at the site in Kosovska Mitrovica where Oliver Ilic was gunned down on Tuesday.

Thousands of citizens were offering condolences earlier on Thursday for the slain Serb politician to the members of Ivanovic's family, including his widow Milena Popovic-Ivanovic.

(Tanjug)

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