The Ibër Bridge, still closed

It has been more than a month since authorities in Kosovo decided on the opening of the Ibër Bridge for the flow of vehicles, but the intensity of statements related to the issue has already decreased, which became due to clashes between the Government of Kosovo and international allies. Former chief negotiator, Edita Tahiri, accuses Prime Minister Kurti of failing in this process, also dismissing statements of the return of sovereignty to the north.

“Kurti started this initiative alone by having empty confidence. He thought it was easy, as is the case when he participated in the dialogue. Because he first rejected it and then became part of the dialogue. Thinking it's easy because others have made dialogue and dialogue successes. And that's why he thought it was easy, when he started to fail in the dialogue, he stopped his applications, he started looking for an alleged implementation of the agreements, while it was on the table when the agreement was reached instead of on the table looking for signatures. Because there is no knowledge, there is no capacity for international relations or negotiations. So it only started on the bridge as many other things in the north began. Then, when hard work is coming, he's going to secretly beg the Americans and KFOR to protect Kosovo. He started it alone, and when he saw that he failed, he found the guilty”, Tahiri said.

Former AKI Chief Inspector Burim Ramadani questions the governments' seriousness for the Ibër Bridge case, if they really focused on opening it up.

“I believe that the trumpet and verbal declaration with NATO and KFOR has done tremendous damage to the prospect of opening the bridge, so sometimes it might be asked if these authorities really wanted to open the bridge or just want to confront NATO and put NATO in a bad situation before the citizens of Kosovo. Not the complete opening of the Ibër Bridge, it's absurd of its kind, especially in mid-2024, but at the same time it's equally absurd for someone to trumpet that I can act without co-ordination with NATO, with international troops through KFOR, who are in Kosovo. I believe that the idea of the bridge's full opening should resume, have a resumption of the initiative, have strategic communication Kosovo and NATO”, Ramadani said.

Recently the prime minister, Albin Kurti, has declared that the government is ready for the opening of the bridge over Iber, but expects QUINT and KFOR to co-ordinate on this issue./rtv21