Ivica was shot in the head in 1996 on the counter-rally, the terrible scar remains: He is barely standing there today where he was laying down in the pool of blood, and he is still asking the same question

"Come over here, give me your hand. See where the bullet went in. And it chipped off a piece".

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My fingers were going over the deformed, dented skull of Ivica Lazovic. Deep, terrible scar under which a part of a brain is missing. Permanent disability, he can't use his leg and his arm. That is the consequence of the mindless conflict which brought Serbia in 1996 on the verge of civil war.

Milosevic government brought its supporters from all over Serbia and they organized a counter rally to great student protests. There was a conflict between the demonstrators, wooden sticks were flying around and the fists were used.

And the other victim, Ivica Lazovic, narrowly avoided death. Just near the shopping mall Mitic in Knez Mihajlova street, he was shot in the head by Zivko Sandic, a supporter of Socialist Party of Serbia from Backa.

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Lazovic fell down as of there was no more life in him...

- They didn't even give me 2 more months. And here, 22 years later, I am still going, I am not stopping. When I woke up: "Did it happen? It happened". I was the man of God who accepts everything. Who tries to change the fate, he will have it even worse - said Lazovic with no hesitation.

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His eyes widened as if he was a happy child, and he is not saving the smile. He doesn't allow dark thoughts to still the life he has in him.

And yet, that even follows him like a shadow. Whenever he looks at his hand, whenever he gets up and when he seeks the best position to make his next step... He said that he is not counting the years of life, only the those from the moment he fell down. 22 od them. 

He learned how to move his leg from the hip, so he just needs a cane to walk. His left hand is hanging, and he is using his right hand to trim the vines in the yard and to make great brandy.

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- That is mine and I am not giving it to anybody, I am not allowing it! My wife, my children with me. I am still talking to you, I am drinking brandy! I am picking up fruits, I am making it. Well, is there greater happiness and pleasure? - said Lazovic while sitting in his home in Boljevci near Surcin.

He rarely goes to the place where he was shot. New buildings in the center are confusing him. He went straight ahead of us from the street of King Petar, as if he is invited again by the sounds of the people an.

- Excuse me, little girl, do you know where Mitic's shopping mall is? - he asked, and he didn't pay attention to us at all. Just to arrive as soon as possible. 

Foto: M. Beljan

I was thinking, what is going on in the heads of the people when they see a man with a cane, with a hanging arm and with a stiff leg? They saw the camera, they certainly knew that there is a big story hiding behind him. But the protests 1996, did they forget about it? 

- There was a kiosk here but I don't see it anymore. I came from here (he is showing at the street that leads to the Topcider). Somewhere here, this is where I fell down. That is the picture that you have seen, where I was in a pool of blood - said Lazovic while the people were walking around us.

Foto: M. Beljan

Zivko Sandic took out a gun and he shot two bullets, while one of the people held his arm, realizing that this mind was blurred, and the blood has been spilled. Lazovic was lying down, without moving, and the people tried to help him.

He saw his assassin on the trial and never again.

- I told him, forgive him, God! Why did you do that brother, shooting at your brother? - said Lazovic.

Sandic got two years and four months of prison. Is he alive today? Is he carrying a burden on his soul? That question occurred to me.

Foto: M. Beljan

"Let's say that he calls you, that he says: I am on my deathbed, I want to tell you something, would you listen to him?"

- I would, and I would listen well as if nothing has happened. I am like that. Accept it, it is my life - Lazovic said almost without thinking.

He was in a hospital only for several weeks. He said that he had visitors that he didn't even want. 

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- People from the Socialist Party of Serbia came to soften me, they gave me some paper to sign. The nurse only said to me "here they come". And I didn't want to sign anything - Lazovic said.

CRACKLINGS AND BLOOD 

Lazovic said that he would come to the protests all of the time. When he finished with the work, he would go to Belgrade. He was carrying cracklings with him. 

- I had five pigs and butchered them, I was carrying that big bag. There were around three and a half kilos. I sold two to the late Zvonko and those from SPO. I gave, even more, to have some treat when we sit down. And I fell down with them. People thought that it was brains, so the people have told me - Lazovic remembers.

POLICE OFFICER AND A CRAFTSMAN 

Before the tragedy, Lazovic worked as a police officer, but he left the service and he started working with his business. He was making some faucets and stone fireplaces, and he was doing great until he fell.

Foto: M. Beljan

- I was making fireplaces, fountains, nice things from stones, bathrooms. I had a decent and honest job - Lazovic remembers.

"THEY ARE SORRY THAT I AM NOT DEAD"

Fighting with severe consequences of this crazy act, Lazovic had to find a way to rationalize it, to explain to himself and to others what has happened.

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We wanted to describe how Ivica lives today and to remind you that some things happened in the middle of Belgrade, which we must never forget. However, this article on Ivica would be incomplete if we didn't mention what is going through his head all of the times, which is a bit paranoid at first.

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- I would like the text to include this sentence: That I was set up from the start. I was naive, I knew nothing. They are sorry that I am alive now - said Lazovic.

He says that everything was planned and that the people from his vicinity were connected to the case. He even someone pointing a finger at him before the shot was fired. 

Only those whose names he hasn't mentioned, know if this is true.

(Mateja Beljan - m.beljan@telegraf.rs - Telegraf.co.uk)