The tough Osman after the Bislimi-Lajcak meeting: Anyone negotiating with Serbia for Ibër Bridge violates sovereignty and constitution

While Bislimi was in Brussels on Tuesday for the new round of dialogue, Osmani warned from Pristina that sovereignty and the Constitution of Kosovo would be violated “if someone makes dialogue for the Ibrit Bridge with Serbia”.

“As far as topics are concerned, you should ask the chief negotiator what topic he agreed on, because it is said in public that they agree on certain topics along with Mr. Lajcak. However, I repeat, if someone makes dialogue for the Ibër Bridge with Serbia, this is a violation of sovereignty, the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, and at no moment is in the interest of Kosovo that this topic is part of dialogue with Serbia”, Osmani said.

She said the issue of opening the main bridge over the Iber River in Mitrovica “should be discussed, to dialogue with our security partners”, because the “and Brussels' own agreements require this”.

The “those we're calling on and saying is the opening of the bridge in 2016 and 2017, as well as predict the role of the Kosovo Police, EULEX, KFOR, South and Northern Mitrovica chairman, civil society and others. So, there are obligations that come up even from the dialogue agreements themselves, but above all it is Kosovo's interest that we work with our security partners, have this plan that will then be implemented, and when the bridge is opened it will be a lasting decision that cannot be challenged, nor should we be challenged by anyone”, the president said at a news conference, following the launch of the Centre for Wisdom for Women, Peace and Security in Kosovo.

Osmani said in advance that “Kosovo has consistently shown commitment to implementing the Brussels Agreement”.

The problem is that this dialogue has been a long time since not proving that it is being organised in line with the principle of equality of the parties. So, at no point can we see both sides being treated equal to”, she said.

Interior Affairs Minister Xhelal Svecla said on Tuesday that the bridge will be opened, while citing co-ordination with the international community and talks in Bucharest.

The Ibër Bridge will be opened soon. I am convinced that after necessary negotiations and co-ordination with KFOR, which is present there, but also talks in Brussels, we will soon have another” situation, he told Deutsche Welle in Albanian.

Chief negotiators Besnik Bislimi and Petar Petkovovic were in Brussels on Tuesday for the new round of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. Internationals have repeatedly insisted that the bridge opening issue be discussed there.

The prime minister's office, while announcing the Bislim meeting with Lajcak under the dialogue in Brussels, said in a communiqué Tuesday that “in terms of the bridge over the Iber River, even for the EU it is clear that there is no alternative other than opening the” bridge.

The deputy prime minister added that even in European Commission reports since 2014, The EU says the bridge should be opened, without delay further. He said this issue has already been addressed and agreed on in Brussels, in the context of the dialogue process, and that it should be opened under the existing agreement, where it is also described as symbol of normalisation”, it was said in the ZKM communiqué.

Serbian chief negotiator Petar Petkovic, meanwhile, said he has called for redefining the border separating South Mitrovica and North Mitrovica as a precondition for opening the bridge.

“In the legal part we demand respect for the agreement, where we insist on demarcation in the Suhodol area as the precondition for opening the” bridge, Petkovic said from Brussels, as reported in Belgrade.

The South Mitrovica municipality insists the village of Suhodol belongs to it, while Serbs who have led the North Mitrovica municipality have claimed otherwise.