Johns Hopkins University professor Daniel Serwer has stated that the key question for Kosovo is whether opening the bridge over the Ibar River in Mitrovica is more important than maintaining strong relations with the United States and Europe.

In an interview with RTK, Serwer emphasized that while Western nations frequently stress the importance of coordination, the Kosovo government faces a choice: to either accept this coordination or reject it. He urged Kosovo to focus on improving its relationships with the U.S. and European countries.

„I don’t know what could be more important than this. Several bridges have already been opened, and strengthening ties with the U.S. and Europe is crucial for Kosovo,“ Serwer remarked.

He acknowledged that Kosovo’s authorities have the right to make decisions on matters such as the opening of the bridge, but stressed that such decisions should be carefully weighed against other options and the potential benefits they might bring.

„It’s not about right or wrong; it’s about the responsibility of the authorities in Pristina to balance the losses and gains,“ Serwer added.

The opening of the main bridge in Mitrovica is currently opposed by representatives of the international community, the EU, the Quint countries, and KFOR. All have called for the issue to be resolved within the framework of the Brussels dialogue. Despite announcements about opening the bridge, neither Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti nor other officials have provided a specific date for when this might happen.

The Kosovo government has previously stated that the opening of the bridge will be preceded by technical procedures that will require „a lot of time,“ including assessments of the infrastructure’s stability and the „revitalization“ of certain parts of the bridge.

Last week, an assessment was conducted to evaluate the bridge’s stability, and it was confirmed that the structure meets the requirements for motor vehicle traffic.

Further discussions with citizens and associations, as well as a „comprehensive campaign on the benefits and objectives“ of opening the bridge, are planned. One such meeting took place last week in the Northern Mitrovica Municipal Assembly.