Following recent developments and work on and around the Iber Bridge, the situation there has remained calm.
Unlike other days, only Italian carabinieri were stationed on the bridge, who routinely patrol the area.
Albanian citizens from both South and North Mitrovica believe the bridge should be opened, as they have been waiting for this moment for years.
On the northern side of the bridge, Serbian citizens also think the bridge should be opened. In fact, they consider it to be already open.
“The bridge is open; I just crossed it.”
“I think the bridge should be opened so people can live and move freely. We need to agree on the future and leave the past behind.”
The government has announced plans to open the Ibar Bridge for some time, but has not provided a specific date for this.
Skender Sadiku, Deputy Mayor of North Mitrovica, states that efforts to open the bridge should continue, but relations with allies must also be maintained.
“We have waited 25 years, and it’s been measured how long we can endure this bridge. Until today, for 25 years, nothing has been done. This bridge should have been opened a long time ago and not become a topic of contention. I hope that silence is better than tension and universal justice will prevail,” Sadiku told RTV21.
“We are late; the conditions are right to open it. We need to convince the internationals. We must fight hard to open the bridge but also to maintain our relations with the internationals.”
Serbian analyst and journalist Bransilav Krshtiq, meanwhile, believes that without implementing the obligations of the normalization agreement, the bridge will not be opened, and criticizes the Kosovo government for unilateral actions.
“We are still on the same path with unilateral decisions that do not contribute to a democratic state. An open bridge is very necessary, but with this behavior, opening the bridge forcibly is not going to work. The internationals do not allow it, and we have proven that our independence is limited. Until we fulfill our obligations under the Ohrid Annex and the Franco-German plan, the bridge will not open. This is the position of the internationals,” Krshtiq said.
According to a preliminary report on the stability of the Ibar Bridge, conducted by Kosovo institutions, the structure is “stable, durable, and functional.” The final report on this issue is expected soon.
