The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, met on Tuesday with the Assistant Secretary General of NATO for Foreign Affairs and Security, Boris Ruge, with whom she also discussed the issue of the main bridge over the Ibër River in the north.

Osmani repeated that the Kosovar authorities should consult and coordinate with NATO in particular for the construction of a joint plan for the opening of the bridge, which divides Mitrovica in the south with an Albanian majority and in the north with a Serbian majority.

“President Osmani has reiterated that the opening of the bridge as an act of normalization and integration is in the interest of all citizens, regardless of ethnicity. President Osmani has pointed out the importance of consultation and coordination between our institutions and our security partners, especially with NATO, in order to build the joint implementation plan for the opening of the bridge”, the announcement of the Presidency states.

Osmani’s meeting with Ruge comes a day after she hosted the commander of the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, Ozkan Ulutas.

The government of Kosovo announced at the beginning of August its intentions to open the bridge over the river Ibër for vehicle traffic, as it is only open for pedestrians, despite all the opposition from the international community.

This also prompted protests by Kosovo Serbs in the north last week, who oppose the opening of the bridge.