Kosovo: Decision to open Mitrovica bridge to vehicles revoked due to possible tensions

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Unlike what decided at the beginning of August the bridge of Mitrovicain Kosovowill not be allowed to transit vehicles. The Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti had in fact announced the intention to open the bridge to traffic at the beginning of August, but changed its mind after some controversy and fears of an escalation between the Serbian ethnic minority and the Albanian majority. The Mitrovica bridge divides the Kosovar city of the same name in two, to the north the Kosovar Serbian ethnic minority with the southern one at Albanian majority.

The decision came following protests from the Serb community in Mitrovica and a meeting between Kurti and the director of the CIA. William Burnsin Kosovo, at the end of August.

“We also discussed the issue of opening the central bridge over the Ibar River in Mitrovica, for which we had all the necessary consultations,” Kurti said. “However, maintenance works are also important, as is the management of the preliminary project on the physical stability of the bridge.”

Serbian minority protests to open Mitrovica bridge to traffic

The Serbian community, the government in Belgrade, the European Union and NATO had expressed their concern about the increase in tensions and for the safety of Serbs.

After the announcement to open the bridge to vehicle traffic, hundreds of people protested on the bridge, which became symbol of the divided citypedestrianized since 2011 when the ethnic Serbian community erected barricades and concrete blocks.

Kosovo: in the north Serbian offices and institutions blocked

Amid tensions, a protest by Serbs was announced on Tuesday, starting from September 6, when a blockade of all border crossings in Kosovo. Rasha Rojevic, a representative of a civic association from North Mitrovica, said that the blockade will continue until the Kosovo police forces withdraw from Serbian offices and institutions in the north of the country.