A day after the Ministry of Infrastructure released a preliminary report stating that the Ibër Bridge is technically ready for traffic, increased activity has been observed on the ground.
Vehicles from KFOR, EULEX, and the Italian Carabinieri have been seen more frequently.
However, citizens from the south believe that the bridge should be opened.
“Bridges are about unity, not separation or hatred. All bridges in the world should unite and communicate with each other,” said Bislim Imeri – Citizen.
Meanwhile, a Kosovo Albanian living in the northern part of the country says that even his Serbian neighbors do not have a problem with the bridge’s opening.
“When I spoke with them, they told me that they don’t mind the opening of the bridge. It seems trivial to discuss whether the bridge should open or not, as it is not the only bridge that connects Albanians and Serbs. They are waiting, tired of politics, for progress and development in this direction,” said Ibrahim Deliu from North Mitrovica.
On Tuesday evening, an unscheduled meeting took place between KFOR Commander Ozgan Ulutash and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.
The peacekeeping mission apparently has not been convinced to change its stance on the bridge and, in a response to Dukagjini, reiterated its readiness to act on any developments.
“We reaffirm that any decision regarding the bridge over the Ibër River must be made through political dialogue and in a coordinated manner. In this regard, we continue to fully support the EU-mediated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.”
These statements seem to fall on deaf ears among Kosovo’s leaders, as Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi wrote that they have taken actions requested by European mediators and that there is no reason the bridge should not open.
“During the last visit of envoy Lajçak to Kosovo on June 19, in the meeting we had, he stated that if Kosovo does not wish to discuss this issue again in Brussels, his recommendation was for internal discussions with local Serbs in the north to address potential security implications and their concerns. Meanwhile, a QUINT partner added the request for technical inspections. We have followed both recommendations. Now the EU is threatening Kosovo if it implements the EU-mediated agreement and additional recommendations on its own.”
The government has not yet provided a date for when vehicle traffic will commence on the bridge, with Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Hysen Durmishi stating that the public will be informed once a date is set.