A symbol of division and a place of tension are just two of the ways the main bridge over the Ibër River, which divides Mitrovica into two municipalities, has been described over the years.

For some, its opening is both symbolic and a completely political issue, as citizens find alternative ways to move from one area to another.

Discussions about the bridge have been updated in recent weeks, after calls to the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly for the bridge to be completely opened for traffic.

This municipality in the north of Kosovo is led by Erden Atiq from the ruling party, Vetëvendosje Movement.

The Speaker of the Municipal Assembly of North Mitrovica, Nexhad Uglanin, said that the implementation of the decision on the issue of the bridge belongs to the central authorities and security institutions.

Officials of this Assembly even said that the opening of the bridge is also under the jurisdiction of South Mitrovica and the peacekeeping mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Kosovo, KFOR.

Radio Free Europe attempted to get a comment from South Mitrovica municipal officials, but they were not available.

Even the deputy director of the Kosovo Police for the northern region, Veton Elshani, warned in May that the bridge "will be opened soon", and that he is discussing with his superiors how to do this.

The international factor, on the other hand, is constantly asking for coordination between all affected parties so that the situation does not escalate.

The former director of the Kosovo Police, at the same time an opposition deputy in the Kosovo Assembly, Rashit Qalaj, tells Radio Free Europe that the decision to open the bridge belongs to the Government of Kosovo, but that he does not believe that it can act like this without coordination with the international factor, especially with KFOR.

"If the Government of Kosovo makes a decision, I am afraid that it will not be implemented by KFOR", he says.

The Italian Carabinieri of KFOR have a permanent presence on the Ibri bridge and carry out patrols in the area. The bridge is also monitored by members of the Kosovo Police.

The government of Kosovo believes that freedom of movement should be ensured throughout the territory, but Serbia considers the opening of the bridge as a "provocation".

Chronology of developments around the bridge

• After the 1998/99 war, this bridge divided the city of Mitrovica into the southern part with an Albanian majority and the northern part with a Serbian majority.

• The Ahtisaari Plan – the basis on which Kosovo declared its independence in 2008 – envisaged the division of Mitrovica into two separate municipalities.

• In 2011, the local Serbs set up the first barricades there, to oppose the extension of the Kosovo authorities.

• In 2013, the North Mitrovica Municipality was formed, according to the laws of Kosovo.

• In 2014, the barricades were replaced with concrete blocks and trees. The new look was called "Peace Park". That same year, Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement in Brussels on the removal of the barricades and the revitalization of the bridge.

• In 2015, the Peace Park was removed, with the idea of ​​opening the bridge for traffic.

• In 2016, the parties in Brussels agreed on an implementation plan for the bridge agreement.

• The revitalization of the bridge was completed by the European Union in 2018 and cost about 1.5 million euros.

Currently, the bridge remains open to pedestrians, but not to vehicles.

Another problem for the opening of the bridge was the context for the municipal borders.

"The bridge is closed because of Serbia, not Kosovo Serbs"

Rashit Qalaj sees the opening of the bridge as a political problem between Kosovo and Serbia, which has the potential to turn into a security problem. According to him, the escalation of the situation depends on the attitude of Serbia, not on the Kosovo Serbs.

"The best way would be for the bridge to be opened in coordination with international security mechanisms, especially with KFOR. Maybe for a short period of time, the traffic there will be monitored by the Kosovo Police, while the KFOR units will stay nearby".

Qalaj believes that coordination is key and should be in line with the agreement reached in Bratislava between Kosovo and the EU, a year ago, for the extension of the situation in the north of Kosovo, after the Albanian mayors took over the management of the four municipalities.

The agreement of July 2023 stipulates that the Government of Kosovo "will not undertake any action that could escalate the situation in the north of Kosovo".

Radio Free Europe has asked the Government of Kosovo if it has asked KFOR to open the bridge, but it has not received an answer.

In the same question, the NATO Media Office referred only to the communique issued after the June 18 meeting between the KFOR commander, Ozkan Ulutash, and the EU envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajçak. It called for each decision on the bridge to be discussed in Brussels.

However, Qalaj, who was himself a member of the Kosovo negotiating team when the bridge was discussed, estimates that if this topic is discussed within the dialogue, the opening of the bridge will be postponed.

Albanians in South Mitrovica and Serbs in North Mitrovica - with whom Radio Free Europe spoke - are divided on whether the bridge should be opened.

For the Albanians, the opening of the bridge would be a "wise thing", while for the Serbs it would be a decision that increases tensions./REL/