8 minutes agoEU for bridges on Iber: Each project requires close co-ordination and community dialogue
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)A European Union spokesman has told Free Europe Radio on Monday that building two new bridges over the Iber River in Mitrovica is a development that carries importance, both political and practical “and that each infrastructure project between South Mitrovica and North requires close co-ordination and [...]
A European Union spokesman has told Radio Free Europe on Monday that building two new bridges over the Iber River in Mitrovica is the development that carries importance, both political and practical “and that each infrastructure project between South Mitrovica and North requires close co-ordination and dialogue between all communities”.
According to the European bloc, it is essential that such projects reflect the will and need of local communities.
The incumbent Kosovo government has allocated about threem euros for the construction of two bridges -- one for pedestrians and the other for traffic -- and works around them are expected to be completed in the autumn.
According to authorities in Pristina, the purpose of the projects is “integration and development” between residents of northern Mitrovica, Serb and south majority Albanian.
The stones of two bridges in Mitrovica are located on 1 July, while Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti was also present.
Earlier in the day, the Serbian List ʹ the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo, which enjoys the backing of official Belgrade, has launched a petition against building bridges over Iber.
Serbian List Chairman Zlatko Ellek has told Serbia's Radio Television before the start of signing the petition, that the goal is “shown a unified attitude of the Serbian people, that he does not accept unilateral decisions on projects at the expense of the Serb community”.
According to him, the petition will be available for signing over the next two days, while then the international community will be forwarded.
Bridges will be built near the main bridge over the Iber River, which is part of the Movement Freedom Agreement reached within the dialogue on normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
On this bridge are continually members of NATO's peacekeeping mission, KFOR, as it is known for ethnic conflicts in the post-war period.
This has also been the main reason for its closure of traffic.
The European Union has ordered on July 7th that all agreements between Pristina and Belgrade, including those related to the bridge in Mitrovica, be fully implemented”.
The European bloc has announced that it is conducting the assessment of the bridge structure in Mitrovica and is analyzing the urban plan of the surrounding area, and that Kosovo authorities are informing them of these developments.
This assessment does not signal any change to the status quo, but it aims to ensure that each bridge's future decision is made on the basis of accurate and objective data”.
“The EU is closely co-ordinating with international partners in Kosovo in terms of the future of the” bridge, it is said among other things in response.
Last summer, the Government of Kosovo had warned that it could open up for traffic, which has increased tensions and triggered reactions from the international community.
The incumbent prime minister, Kurti has declared that his government would never give up opening the main bridge.
Members of the Serb community from Northern Mitrovica have earlier told Radio Free Europe that opening the main bridge would only increase tensions on the ground, while Albanians from South Mitrovica believe such an act would contribute to co-existence and freedom of movement. /Periscope/
