The Government of Kosovo is awaiting the final report on the stability of the Iber Bridge, following several days of testing and measurements.
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Hysen Durmishi, briefly told RTK today that they are waiting for the report on the stability of the Iber Bridge and that once it is received, it will be published.
Meanwhile, work has not stopped in the area, with workers seen painting the surrounding parts of the bridge on Monday.
During the day, carabinieri were present on the bridge to monitor the situation.
Additionally, increased KFOR forces have been observed at the Ibar Bridge. Besides KFOR, EULEX vehicles and a police car have also been seen.
Kosovo authorities have initiated procedures to test the load-bearing capacity of the Ibar Bridge as a step before opening it for vehicular traffic. This insistence has faced opposition from the international community, which has called for an additional step—a new discussion in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. Meanwhile, this issue has led the Serbs of Kosovo to protest against the opening of the bridge.
“The Mitrovica Bridge must be opened without further delays and obstacles.”
This statement has been repeated several times in European Union reports describing progress in implementing the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia regarding the opening of the bridge over the Iber River.
The bridge, which separates southern Mitrovica with a majority Albanian population from northern Mitrovica with a majority Serb population, was first blocked after the war in 1999.
Despite agreements and investments in its infrastructure over the years and its opening for pedestrian traffic, the Ibar Bridge remains blocked for vehicles.
The initiative to open the bridge for vehicles has intensified in recent weeks by the Government of Kosovo.
On July 24, 2024, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Kosovo opened a tender for testing the “load-bearing capacity of the existing bridge structure.”
On August 1, according to documents published on the online public procurement website, the Ministry awarded the contract to the company IPE-PROING SHPK, based in Pristina. The contract price is estimated to be 9,640 euros, and its signing was scheduled for August 6.
However, the signed contract is not public.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and the winning company have not responded to inquiries about when the testing is expected to start and end.
A technical inspection of the load-bearing capacity of the bridge was also stipulated in the Kosovo-Serbia agreement as a step to be carried out before its opening for vehicular traffic.
