Works on the bridge over Iber remain suspended

Works on the main bridge over the Iber River, in the northern part of the Serb-run town of Mitrovica, continue to be suspended, with the decision of the local leadership of the North Mitrovica municipality.

Bridge, Restructuring which the European Union is fundingIt was designed to open for traffic on January 10, 2017. After events developed, such as the construction of the holding wall and the subsequent collapse, as well as new agreements, the deadline for opening the bridge was postponed.

On that occasion, Natalija Apostolova, special representative of the European Union in Kosovo, had said that the opening of the bridge would occur when the project to transform the path “King Peter” in northern Mitrovica was conducted in the pedestrian area and that he would submit the procedures to follow.

But, in April, the mayor of the Northern Mitrovica municipality, Goran Rakiq, following a series of incidents that had occurred in space around the bridge, had brought about a decision to cut off tasks. He had asked local and international security bodies to create a safe environment for citizens.

In a statement to Radio Free Europe, the European Union's spokeswoman in Kosovo, Dinka Zivalj, says the EU's project for the revising of the main bridge in Mitrovica, which started in 2016, worth 1 million and 45 thousand euros, is advancing in most parts of the realisation.

This is also a result of the agreement under the dialogue in Brussels, envisioning the transformation of King Peter's route into the pedestrian area. The European Union expects both projects to be realised soon”, Zivalj said.

Adrijana Hodzic, chief of municipal administration in the Northern Mitrovica municipality, tells Radio Free Europe that local governance priority is security for all citizens living there. According to her, the municipality has made concrete requirements in the European Union, in EULEX and all security institutions to increase the presence of security forces near the main bridge so that the work can continue.

The only reason why the Northern Mitrovica municipality has insisted on breaking up works on the main bridge is the lack of security, as well as some incidents that have occurred in this region. It is understandable that we have not received concrete support from relevant institutions, when it comes to increasing the presence of all those institutions that should deal with security, and here I am referring to EULEX, Kosovo Police and KFOR representatives”, Hodzic said.

Zeljko Bojic, chief of Kosovo Police operative for the northern region, has confirmed to Radio Free Europe that the security situation is stable.

In the last period, the security situation is at the satisfactory level in the area of responsibility of the North Mitrovica Regional Directorate. In the last period of time we haven't had recorded cases of any large-scale incident, so the security situation is at a satisfactory level”, Bojic said.

Hodzic says it's true that no incidents have been recorded in the last period, but, according to her, it's a fact that the incident has been going on during the time the work was being done on the bridge and that they have stopped when the work has been shut down.

There really is fear that the security situation on the ground can deteriorate. That is why it is insisted on increasing the presence of security forces on the ground, during the works and after them, at least initially, when the bridge becomes circulated, both for pedestrians and for autos”, Hodzic said. She added that local governance is not interested in taking responsibility for the eventual incidents so that the work on the bridge can continue at any price.

Dragoljub Vlajiq, a North Mitrovica citizen, considers that cutting off the works contributes nothing for good, and according to him, Work must be completed.

I think that's stupid. This is contacting them, we're already getting it. We have no road, we have nothing. They had to fix the roads first and then build something. Let them finish. What could prevent that from happening? Did they interfere with this constitutional policy? No, nothing”, Vlajq said.

On the other hand, all the works on the bridge and around it, on the southern side of the city, inhabited by the Albanian majority, have been completed. / REL/