Serbs oppose opening Ibër Bridge

According to a poll conducted by the Centre for Alternative Solutions in northern Mitrovica, 88 percent of Serbian youth have expressed themselves against the opening of the bridge until only 12 percent think that the bridge should be opened for vehicle and pedestrian circulation.

On the other hand, 65 percent of young Albanians surveyed by the Centre for Alternative Settlement of County North Mitrovica think that the bridge should be opened for the flow of vehicles and pedestrians, Zeri.info broadcasts.

At a table held north of Mitrovica, where the results of the research were presented, under the “Contact Plus” project, and the Centre for Alternative Resolution of the Conventions . . Mitrovica, under the “project against the bridge, symbolic, freedom of movement and security”, it is said that only 12 percent of Serbian youth think the bridge should be opened for the circulation of people and vehicles.

Some of the participants at the table organised in northern Mitrovica have argued the position of young Serbs with numerous security problems, which, as they have said, have occurred hundreds of cases (incidents) that have endangered the lives of Serbs and their property”. In the survey of the Centre for Alternative Solutions to the north of Mitrovica, which has been conducted even north of the city and south of it, 800 young people of both communities -- Serbian and Albanian -- have been included in the south and north of Mitrovica.

The representative of the Centre for Alternative Settlement, Lazar Rakiq, has found that only 12 per cent of Serbian youth aged 16 to 25 think that the Ibri Bridge in Mitrovica should be opened for the flow of vehicles and pedestrians, the Zeri.info broadcasts.

On the other hand, 65 per cent of Albanian youth think that the Ibër main bridge should be opened for circulation of vehicles and people”, Rakiq said, clarifying that the research was conducted in May and June and that 800 young Serbs and Albanians from the north and south of Mitrovica have been surveyed. Commenting on the results of the research, Stefan Velkovic, has estimated that the ongoing threat to Serbs has been the reason why young Serbs do not want the Ibri Bridge to open.

“People are afraid because so far there have been hundreds, if not thousands of cases where their lives and wealth have been endangered”, he said, meanwhile, Milivoje Rajchev has indicated there is no need to mention the main bridge of Ibri.
No one's talking about security on the bridge, nobody talks about what the opening bridge will bring. Roots of problems exist, the partition of Mitrovica is clear”, he has said.

These results are said to be the product of a media mirror that has been created nearly two decades, but also of fear of existence and swing of confidence between the two communities.

The results of this research, according to organisers, will be included in the final document of the Convention Alternative Solutions Centre.