Kosovo Government presents Quint with plan to open Mitrovica bridge

KoSSev reported that the meeting was attended by US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier, French Ambassador Olivier Guerot, Italian Ambassador Antonello De Riu, Head of EU Office in Kosovo Tomas Szunyog, and British and German deputy ambassadors - Paul O'Connor and Matthias Conrad.

Following the meeting, which, as confirmed, focused on the issue of opening the bridge over the Ibar River in Mitrovica, US Ambassador Hovenier read out their position.

He said they informed the Kosovo prime minister that the governments of the countries they represent in Kosovo, in consultation with NATO, “cannot support any change to the current status of the Mitrovica bridge at this time.”

What preceded this statement?

The details of the meeting after which Quint presented its position were revealed by the Kosovo Government, saying that it has been exactly eight years since the August 2, 2016 discussions held in Brussels regarding the implementation of the Bridge Agreement in Mitrovica within the Brussels dialogue.

This was followed by the European Union's Plan for opening the bridge in Mitrovica to pedestrians and vehicles in both directions, it said.

The Kosovo Government on Friday presented the plan regarding this issue to Quint and EU representatives, outlining what it entails:

“The plan provides for tests for the infrastructural stability of the bridge, evaluating risks and potential natural disasters, visual revitalization of the bridge with access to the bridge for all, discussions with citizens and interest groups as well as a comprehensive information campaign about the benefits and goals of opening the bridge.”

Consultations and coordination will continue, said the Government adding that, as stated in the European Union’s plan for the revitalization of the bridge, the Mitrovica bridge “will become a symbol of the normalization of relations in Kosovo.”

The EU plan says that its revitalization will greatly contribute to the facilitation of contacts between all citizens of North and South Mitrovica and will thus contribute to exchanges and understanding, the Government noted.

“So the bridge must be opened. It is in the service of all, and is against no one. Freedom of movement and the rule of law do not endanger peace and security, on the contrary. The bridge is a symbol of free movement, which is a fundamental value and freedom of the European Union. The bridge is a symbol of integration, which is the joint work of Kosovo with our partners,” said the Kosovo Government.

In addition to Kurti, the other Kosovo officials who attended the meeting where his deputy Besnik Bislimi and Kosovo Internal Affairs Minister Xhelal Svecla.