The new bridge over the Ibar River, linking the northern and southern parts of Mitrovica, has officially opened for traffic. The opening has been welcomed by Mitrovica residents, who believe the bridge will ease movement and improve the well-being of people on both sides of the city.

The opening had originally been scheduled for September 1, but Veton Elshani, Deputy Director of the Kosovo Police in the north, said the decision to open the bridge today was made by the relevant institutions.

Elshani told KosovaPress that currently only regular police officers are stationed near the bridge, while the special units have been withdrawn.

Although he stated there are no indications of any incidents, Elshani added that if any situation arises, the Kosovo Police will intervene.

The Deputy Director of the Kosovo Police in the northern part of Kosovo also called on Albanian residents to set aside patriotism.

“Security in the north is calm and stable. The situation remains delicate due to recent political developments, but there is nothing extraordinary to report. The bridge was initially planned to open on September 1, but it has been opened slightly earlier. We had taken all measures to prevent surprises—police were initially deployed, and today the special units have been withdrawn, leaving only regular police. This is primarily to allow citizens to see that this is a bridge, not something else… We consider that there will be no problems. From the moment the bridge is opened, it becomes a police matter; the police will handle any issue. There is no need for unnecessary patriotism, no need to display flags—nothing extraordinary can happen, and we will respond as we have in the past,” he said.

The bridge’s constructor, Jahir Nimani, said that they completed the construction within 40 days and emphasized that the bridge has high technical durability.

“The bridge is strong… all engineering dimensions and tests have been done. Based on my 30 years of experience, everything is in order. It is fully completed,” he said.

Ymer Konjuhi, a Mitrovica resident, expressed his happiness that the north and south are now connected by a bridge allowing free movement. He said bridges create connections, not divisions.

“The bridge is meant to connect, not to divide, and I hope everyone enjoys it. Things are normalizing, and by building bridges, we are building the future,” he added.

Another resident, Mustafë Shala, said the bridge will ease life for all citizens.

“I feel unified today because bridges bring people together, and I believe this will be a success and something positive for all residents, including Albanians, Serbs, and Bosniaks. It allows free movement and cooperation, which is a big help for citizens,” he said.

However, Serbian residents in northern Mitrovica have expressed mixed opinions about the new bridge.

KFOR previously told KosovaPress that they were not involved in the construction of the two new bridges in Mitrovica. According to KFOR, their role is to maintain a safe and calm environment for all communities living in Kosovo, including in North Mitrovica.

KFOR said they maintain a presence at the main bridge over the Ibar River, continue to monitor the situation, and remain flexible to respond quickly and decisively to any security developments in the area.

“KFOR is not involved in the current construction of the two bridges. Its role is to maintain a safe and secure environment for all communities living in Kosovo, including North Mitrovica. KFOR maintains a permanent and visible presence at the main Ibar bridge and conducts regular patrols in the surrounding areas. In this context, KFOR continues to monitor the situation and remains flexible to respond quickly and decisively to any security developments in the area, in line with its long-term UN mandate, based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 from 1999,” KFOR told KosovaPress.

Construction of the two new bridges next to the main Ibar bridge began on July 1. The total cost of the project is around €3 million. Shortly after the work began, the Special Prosecution launched an investigation into the contract over suspicions of misuse of public funds.

Kosovar authorities proceeded with the construction of the two bridges despite reactions from the international community and objections from Serbs in the north.