The Ibër Bridge, the next apple of the fight between Government and Allies

Following the distance clashes between Kosovo institutions and the West, an unprecedented meeting took place today between the ambassadors of QUINT countries and Prime Minister Kurti.

As the government later announced through a communique, Kurti has presented diplomatic representatives of the QUINT states and the European Union, the government's plan for opening the Mitrovica bridge over the Iber River.

This meeting was held just eight years after discussions that were held on August 2nd 2016 in Brussels regarding the implementation of the Mitrovica Bridge Agreement under dialogue in Brussels, which was then followed by the European Union's Plan for the opening of the Mitrovica Trust Bridge and two-way vehicles. Prime Minister Kurti presented diplomatic representatives of the QUINT and EU states with the Government's plan to open the Mitrovica bridge over the Iber River. The plan envisions tests for the bridge's infrastructural stability, risk assessment and risks from natural disasters, visual revising the bridge with access to the bridge for all, discussions with citizens and interest groups, as well as the campaign of comprehensive information on the benefits and purposes of opening the “bridge, said in the communique.

According to the Government, consultations and co-ordination continue, as they have indicated that the bridge should be opened, as it says in the communiqué, the bridge is a symbol of free movement and this does not endanger peace and security.

“Consultations and coordinates continue. As the European Union's plan for revising the bridge says, the Mitrovica Bridge on Iber will become a symbol of normalisation of relations in Kosovo. The same plan reportedly will greatly contribute to facilitating contacts between all citizens of North and South Mitrovica and thus contribute to exchange and understanding”. So the bridge has to open. She's in service to everyone, and she's not against anyone. Freedom of movement and rule of law do not endanger peace and security, on the contrary. The bridge is a symbol of free movement, which is the fundamental value and freedom of the European Union. The bridge is a symbol of integration, which is Kosovo's common business with our partners. The government is also for free movement and for the integration of citizens“, the communique says.

In contrast, US Ambassador to Pristina Jeffrey Hovenier, who said Friday that QUINT and NATO countries do not support the opening of the Ibri Bridge in Mitrovica at this time.

The “representatives of France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, the United States, together with the EU ambassador to Kosovo, met today with Prime Minister Kurti to announce that our governments in consultation with NATO cannot support any change in the current status of the Mitrovica bridge at this time“, Havener told reporters after the meeting.

The European Union, meanwhile, has said the issue of opening the Ibri Bridge should be the subject of dialogue with Serbia.

This has been rejected by Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, who said on Thursday that “this would be a serious violation of sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutionality in our country”.

“Vukiqi has nothing to ask when the circulation bridges will be opened in the Republic of Kosovo. The only dialogue that has to be done is the one within Kosovo, between our institutions and our security partners [particularly with NATO]“, Osmani said.

The bridge, currently, is only open to pedestrians, though, within the dialogue, has agreed to open up for traffic, but this has never been done in practice. Only one side of it is open for pedestrians.

On the bridge over Iber patrol Italian KFOR soldiers, the NATO mission in Kosovo, while close are members of the Kosovo Police.

From the civil sector in Kosovo, they say the key factor in opening the bridge is, in fact, KFOR, because it has to move its soldiers, or give consent.