The Government of Kosovo is confident that the bridge over the Ibër River will be opened, and for this reason, its institutions have started working intensively on the matter.
Western partners have made it clear to Prime Minister Albin Kurti that he should not undertake such an initiative. However, the “consultations and coordination” announced with international partners seem to be going well, and as a result, Prime Minister Kurti’s language regarding the opening of the bridge has softened somewhat following his visit to the U.S. and his meeting with CIA Director William Burns.
Former Minister of Internal Affairs of Kosovo, Bejtush Gashi, told A2 CNN that the change in Prime Minister Kurti’s statements came after the meeting with CIA Chief Burns and several visits by senior NATO officials to Kosovo.
According to the former senior Kosovo official, the opening of the bridge should be achieved with an agreement between the Government of Kosovo and the NATO mission in Kosovo.
Political analyst Fidan Ukaj states that Prime Minister Kurti’s stance has shifted from offensive to defensive, as he now only speaks of plans.
Experts believe that the opening of the Ibër Bridge and the situation in the north is not just a matter of legality but rather a political problem, as it involves the opposition of a portion of the citizens living in the north of Kosovo.
