The spokesperson of the European Union, Peter Stano, has stated that the issue of opening the bridge over the Iber River is part of the dialogue facilitated by the EU, and that the discussion and decisions regarding its opening for traffic should take place within the dialogue with the participation of representatives of both parties.
Stano has added that the parties should move forward with the implementation of the pending agreements and implement the obligations of the agreements reached in the dialogue.
“We are interested in preventing another crisis, we have had enough of these already and few solutions and steps towards expansion. Regarding your question, about the opening of the bridge in Mitrovica, it has been the subject of two EU-facilitated dialogue agreements in 2015 and 2016. And despite efforts to mediate over the years, this bridge remains closed to traffic.
And as long as this is a matter that belongs to the dialogue facilitated by the EU, the negotiations and any decision regarding the bridge should be discussed and made within the framework of the dialogue, with the participation of the representatives of both sides, Kosovo and Serbia”, declared Stana.
Meanwhile earlier during the day, NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, has called for any decision regarding the main bridge over the Iber River to be taken within the framework of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, mediated by the European Union.
KFOR carabinieri have a permanent presence on this bridge.
“KFOR continues to implement the mandate set by the United Nations to guarantee a safe environment for all residents of Kosovo, at all times, in an impartial manner, including the presence at the Mitrovica bridge and patrols in the surrounding area,” said KFOR in a answer for Radio Free Europe.
On Friday morning, the assemblymen of the ruling party, ‘Levizja Vetëvendosje’, in the Municipal Assembly of North Mitrovica, requested to implement a decision made last year for the opening of the Ibri bridge.
However, the chairman of the municipal assembly, Nexhad Uglanin, said that the implementation of the decision on the issue of the bridge belongs to the local authorities.
“We support every movement, we don’t need the bridge as a symbol, but we need it for coexistence between communities”, he said during the meeting.
The vice president of this municipal assembly, Skënder Sadiku, said on Friday that the bridge is not under the jurisdiction of the municipal assembly, nor is it guarded by it, but by KFOR carabinieri.
According to him, the opening of the bridge is also under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of South Mitrovica, and of KFOR, and that there is also a Brussels agreement for this.
