In an interview he gave in September 2017, Ivanovic spoke very openly about the Serbian criminal structures in Kosovo, which made his return to political life hard after having spent many years in jail for alleged war crimes charges.

He said his car was lit as soon as he announced that he would run for mayor of Kosovska Mitrovica.

Asked who the people are that are doing such things, Ivanovic said:

"These are criminal structures tied to the politics in which are panicing for fears of mine candidacy run. For someone who has the infrastructure, who has enormous money and has the support of the Government of Serbia, our small party should not be a problem. They, however, know what the people think of them and are afraid they will lose if the citizens have an alternative, "Ivanovic said, also speaking of strong pressures on his people to support the Serbian list that had the support of Belgrade.

He also claimed his car was not lit car to scare him, but people around him.

"It is tragic that after eighteen years of life in the fear of extreme Albanians, Serbs are now afraid of extreme Serbs and are evicted for that. This change occurred while I was in jail, and I might be more aware than those who have lived through it, but it is obvious: people are frightened and silent or packing for relocation. If the state does not do anything to stop this trend, there is a serious danger that the north of Kosovo will collapse and that all that we have kept for all these years disappears. Earlier we knew where the front was, but now we do not know it because the front is among us, "Ivanovic said

This is mine translation so there may be some mistakes.