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Kurti demands full opening of the bridge over the Ibar River, meeting with KFOR fails

2026-08-22 19:38:26Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Kurti demands full opening of the bridge over the Ibar River, meeting with KFOR
Albin Kurti

Kosovo's acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, said that the country's institutions are in constant communication with KFOR regarding the full opening of the main bridge over the Ibar River and its "complete takeover" by the Kosovo Police.

However, a meeting announced by Kurti himself with the commander of the NATO mission in Kosovo, Ozgan Ulutaş, did not take place on Saturday afternoon.

"We are in daily communication, both with the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so that everything goes smoothly and peacefully," Kurti said during a media conference on August 22, when asked when the main bridge in Mitrovica is expected to open.

Kurti described it as "absurd" that the main bridge over the Ibar River continues to be closed.

"We must remember that after the construction of the new bridges, it has become absurd to keep that bridge closed, and the fact that citizens have freely circulated across these new bridges and there has been no increase in either incidents or tensions, shows that the circulation of people and goods, the ever-increasing freedom of movement, is beneficial not only for the economy, but also for peace and security," Kurti stressed.

During the conference, Kurti announced the meeting with Commander Ulutash. However, later in the day, KFOR announced that “due to unforeseen circumstances,” the meeting between Commander Ulutash and Kurti did not take place.

"The KFOR Commander remains in close contact with all partners, including representatives of institutions in Kosovo," the statement said.

The main bridge over the Ibar is open to pedestrians, but not to vehicle traffic.

Since the end of the war, NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, has kept the bridge, which has been a point of interethnic clashes for years, under surveillance.

However, KFOR recently announced the start of a gradual withdrawal from the bridge, following the improvement of the security situation, which has angered Serbia.

Serbia has opposed KFOR's plans to reduce its presence on the bridge. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has written a letter to NATO chief Mark Rutte, urging him to stop the process.

According to Vučić, the withdrawal of KFOR from the bridge at this moment would "create conditions for a final confrontation with the Serbian population" in northern Kosovo.

The Kosovo government had announced in July 2024 the opening of the main bridge over the Ibar River to vehicle traffic, an initiative that caused tensions and reactions from the international community.

Meanwhile, the Kosovo executive has built two more bridges near the main bridge – one for pedestrians and one for vehicles – with the aim of connecting North Mitrovica with South Mitrovica.

The main bridge over the Ibar River is considered one of the most sensitive points in terms of security in northern Kosovo.


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