The Bridge That Divides the City After 10 Years of Independence

Tensions, violence, riots, incidents, protests, barricades and high walls from concrete erupted on this bridge, thus strengthening its divisive understanding between Albanians in the south and Serbs in the north.

Its history as the hottest spot in the country implies that citizens and connoisseurs and circumstances here continue to be skeptical about progress and changing its function, at least for a while.

Xhafer Fetahi, a citizen from northern Mitrovica, but now living south of this city, told Kosovo that the Ibri Bridge continues to symbolize the partition.

According to him, except that this bridge has changed in appearance, no movement is seen after 10 years of Kosovo's independence, while for blocking processes it has blamed politics.

He added that it takes a long time until this bridge has the opposite function from what it has today.

This bridge appears to be a symbol of separation. Since it's a simple movement of people, that's not pleasing us, I believe no citizens, regardless of this or that side... there's no other reason, besides politics... besides a view that's due to their internationals and investments, it doesn't seem to have moved something over the course of 10 years... It takes a long time, considering how many problems have happened on this” bridge, Fetahi said.

Even Jelena Cvetkovic, citizen of northern Mitrovica, has said that the bridge on Iber continues to symbolize the partition, and that nothing has changed so far.

I am disappointed with the whole situation and living in Kosovo, so it's too much to say... The bridge has still remained a symbol of separation, nothing has changed. How lucky it would be if it was a symbol of the union, but I doubt it would happen in the near future... in addition to these works that we observe, nothing more skeet change”, Kosovo's Cvetkovic stressed.

On the other hand, politicologist Musa Preteni, has indicated that unfortunately the function of the Ibri Bridge has remained the same as it was 10 years ago.

According to him, this impasse is happening because of the Serbian side, until its opening as quickly as possible is seen as a single and incompatible solution.

Unfortunately all that has changed to the Ibër Bridge is the fact that it has changed in shape because of the development of certain works, investments and largely symbolic issues that have developed there, but the function of the bridge has been the same and continues to remain even after 10 years of independence for the state of Kosovo. It's a symbol of separation and continues to divide the city into two parts and not enable the free movement of citizens... The only solution is for the bridge to be opened and I believe it will happen, but the impasse that has taken place so far is due to the Serbian side, which has continued since 1999 to use the Ibri Bridge for political points, especially for its journey to the EU... unfortunately the bridge will open, but it will open up, when Serbia” wants, explain to KosovaPress politician Preteni.

Zelko Tvedishqi, analyst from the north, has suggested that for normal people this bridge, like all other bridges, would have to symbolize the unification of the city and its citizens.

He said the true union of Mitrovica and its citizens will happen when the economic situation in Kosovo changes and citizens live better, as well as when politics will not take a first place in the face of many other problems.

It hasn't exactly determined the time when this will happen.

There are several moves, and the bridge has also taken a better shape, but we are still at the top of the main road, and this road is toward the European Union. It will still take effort for citizens to travel to this, while it will be necessary for Kosovo institutions and officials to still make efforts for citizens to enable the European perspective... depending on who you see, for someone this bridge is a symbol of separation, for normal people this bridge, as well as all other bridges, must be a symbol of the union... This bridge will become a symbol of the union, when people will live much better, when the economic situation in Kosovo will be much better, and when the policy will not be in the first order... This will happen in the future, but if you don't know the future of the other 16x, Tdists have to say.

Otherwise, the Europe-funded project for the renovation of this bridge at a cost of about 1.2m euros, which was launched in August 2016 and was aimed at normalising reports between Albanians and Serbs, was not realised.

It was expected to open on January 20th last year, but because of local Serbian authorities, works at the northern corner have been suspended and now it remains unclear when they will continue.