Today, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, held a meeting with the ambassadors of the QUINT countries.
Initially, the topic was not disclosed, but after the meeting, the Government announced that Kurti stated the Ibar Bridge should be opened. He emphasized that freedom of movement and the rule of law do not endanger peace and security.
“Consultations and coordination are ongoing. As stated in the European Union’s plan for revitalizing the bridge, the Mitrovica Bridge over the Ibar will become a symbol of normalizing relations in Kosovo. The same plan notes that ‘its revitalization will greatly contribute to facilitating contacts between all citizens of North and South Mitrovica and thus will promote exchanges and understanding.’ Therefore, the bridge must be opened. It serves everyone and is not against anyone. Freedom of movement and the rule of law do not endanger peace and security; on the contrary. The bridge is a symbol of free movement, a fundamental value and freedom of the European Union. The bridge is a symbol of integration, which is a joint effort of Kosovo with our partners. The Government is in favor of both free movement and the integration of citizens,” the Government’s statement read.
However, the ambassadors of the QUINT countries did not agree with this request from the Government.
Following the meeting, the United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, said that the QUINT countries, in consultation with NATO, do not currently support any change in the current status of the bridge in Mitrovica.
“We, the representatives of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States, met with Prime Minister Kurti to inform him that our governments, in consultation with NATO, cannot support any change in the current status of the Mitrovica Bridge at this time,” Hovenier said.
Commenting on this situation, publicist Gani Qarri stated that since August 2, 2016, there has been no factual obstacle to the opening of the bridge over the Ibar, especially now that there is a fully stabilized political situation in the north of the Republic of Kosovo.
“Since eight years ago, within the framework of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, mediated by the European Union, on August 2, 2016, in Brussels, an agreement was reached that, according to the European Union’s Plan, foresees the opening of the Mitrovica Ibar Bridge for pedestrians and vehicles in both directions. There is no longer any factual obstacle to its opening, especially now when we have a fully stabilized political situation even in the north of the Republic of Kosovo.
Otherwise, considering the continuous interventions of the QUINT ambassadors, who surprisingly always oppose everything, starting from openly opposing; the prohibition of Serbian referendums and elections in Kosovo, the closure of Serbian parallel structures and institutions in Kosovo, the reciprocity with Serbia, the implementation of the agreement on Kosovo license plates in the north, the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo to prohibit the Serbian dinar in Kosovo, to the installation of signs indicating settlements and road directions in the north, etc., etc…, with today’s opposition to the opening of the Ibar Bridge, which implies opposing the guarantee of free movement for citizens, as a European category of human rights, they have truly confirmed publicly that they have assumed the powers of GOVERNORS in an independent and host state like Kosovo,” Qarri said.
Qarri also criticized the QUINT ambassadors for “taking the liberty to oppose every legal and constitutional decision of the Republic of Kosovo, within its territory.”
“All-powerful governors, who take the liberty to oppose every legal and constitutional decision of the Republic of Kosovo, within its territory, which, unfortunately, if this behavior continues, Kosovo seems that without addressing the ICJ once again, to clarify its political status specifically for the QUINT ambassadors, maybe from now on, will not be able to plan even the bus schedules in the cities and villages of Kosovo, the schedules of lessons in universities and schools, or even the planning of flights at its only airport, without obtaining the approval of Serbia and these all-powerful governors, alias QUINT ambassadors, in our country.
All this demonstrates that if these QUINT ambassadors were asked every time and about everything, who have long been acting unlawfully in our country, as all-powerful “Governors,” freedom of movement, the extension of statehood, and the rule of law would not exist today in the north of Kosovo, as they did not exist for two decades in a row, when the law was made by criminal gangs and Serbian terrorist organizations led by the chief terrorist Milan Radojčić during all the incriminated governments in Kosovo,” Qarri expressed.
According to him, the state of Kosovo and its citizens have the right to be proud of the fact that law and order have been fully established in the north, while Serbian citizens are massively obtaining documents from the Republic of Kosovo.
“Meanwhile, we and the state of Kosovo today have every right to be proud of the fact that, in addition to the full extension of statehood and the re-establishment of law and order in the north, the interest of the Serbian minority citizens, especially in the last quarter of last year and especially in the first half of this year, to obtain documents from the Republic of Kosovo has marked an extraordinary increase, which, apart from being unthinkable just a short time ago, also demonstrates their good will and increased interest for sustainable integration into the Republic of Kosovo,” he emphasized.
Therefore, regarding the opening of the Ibar Bridge, Qarri reminded that there is an agreement from eight years ago, which it is finally time to implement, just like other agreements, which, apart from being a symbol of integration, is also a symbol of free movement, a fundamental value and freedom of the European Union.
“Its opening not only does not endanger peace or security and is not against anyone, but on the contrary, it strengthens them even more, as well as brings people closer from both sides, putting it in the service of everyone, when it is well known that even in the European Union’s plan for revitalizing the bridge, it is stated explicitly that ‘the revitalization and opening of the bridge will greatly contribute to facilitating contacts between all citizens from the northern and southern sides of the city of Mitrovica, and will become a symbol of normalizing relations in Kosovo.’
Therefore, despite all the challenges, wherever they may arise and vary, the state’s leaders and the country’s legislature, just as they have done so far, must find the strength and means to withstand all internal and external obstacles, including those with the QUINT ambassadors, who in our country behave like GOVERNORS, and implement even the constitutional and legal obligation to open the Bridge and guarantee the free movement of people and goods also over this bridge, which was built not to divide, but to unite even the historic city of our heroic miners – Mitrovica!” he added.
Qarri is also calling on the Government of Kosovo not to hesitate to call an extraordinary meeting to vote on a resolution to open the bridge over the Ibar River.
“And despite the absurd positions of the QUINT ambassadors, who, like nowhere else in the region and the world, even 25 years after the liberation of Kosovo, want to forcibly keep the bridge blocked and forcibly prohibit the free movement of vehicles and citizens within the territory of a free and independent state, like Kosovo, in case of need, the Government should not hesitate to also call the Assembly in an extraordinary meeting, and as the legitimate representative of all citizens of Kosovo, unlike past legislatures, which, driven by their political parties, knew how to vote for unconstitutional creations such as the ‘Serbian ethnic community,’ or even the Special Court, now to vote with the overwhelming majority of deputies for the opening of the Bridge over the Ibar River.
This would be the best response to the absurd position of the QUINT (Governors) ambassadors, who, surprisingly, even more than 25 years after the liberation of Kosovo, have the audacity and cynically pretend, forcibly and without any right or convincing argument, to oppose the opening of the bridge, with the banal justification that even for the opening of a bridge, Kosovo has to negotiate with Serbia in Brussels, which is a serious violation of Kosovo’s state sovereignty, a transfer of a part of our country’s sovereignty to Serbia, and an unjustifiable humiliation for our sovereign and independent state, which has been successfully building its statehood for more than 25 years,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, a campaign has already started among the representatives of the Vetëvendosje Movement and the Government, calling for the opening of the bridge over the Ibar.
Source: Botasot
