Analysts: First the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM), then open the bridge on the Ibar; everything else is Kurti's "election spectacle"

The Kosovo government's insistence on opening the bridge over the Ibar, despite opposition from the EU and the US, is seen by political experts as an "election spectacle" by the Self-Determination Movement and Albin Kurti, as Kosovo is on the brink of elections. The proper order of actions would be to first establish the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) and then open the bridge, reports Ekonomia Online.

Former General Consul of Kosovo in Canada, Donat Sila, stated that unilateral actions by the government could worsen the situation to a "point of no return," and that integration of the north cannot be achieved in this manner.

He mentioned that it is an illusion to think that Kosovo can extend its authority to every corner of the country without coordination with allies.

"It is an illusion to think that we can extend Kosovo's authority to every corner of the country without coordination with our allies, who are also the patrons of Kosovo's independence. I wish it were different, but that is the reality. Throughout our entire journey, we have coordinated with international partners, especially with the US," said Sila.

He added that unilateral actions lead to a worsening situation and a return to a state that may not be reversible.

"We have sent a signal by excluding and intimidating the Serbs, so the opposition and the president must clearly state this position and must not join in the chorus of nationalist calls to build a narrative or a situation that absolutely does not exist. Integration of the north cannot be achieved in this way," he said.

Sila noted that with this approach, the government is not integrating the Serbs but is instead creating an election spectacle as the country approaches elections.

He added that the best proof of this is the low participation of Kosovo Serbs in the last elections in the four northern municipalities.

"You see that we have constant sporadic attacks with bombs, explosives, and the discovery of weapons, and I think this is a temporary silence of the structures directly orchestrated by Vucic, as it suits him to present himself as a victim. The clearest evidence of this was the last elections, where, at Vucic's call, even a minimal percentage of Kosovo Serb citizens did not respond to the calls for elections in the four northern municipalities. In a word, if we continue with this approach, we are only deepening the gap and not integrating the Serbs but creating an election spectacle, just as we are on the eve of elections, but this will not change the situation at all," Sila concluded.

Political expert Arbnor Sadiku believes that the reactions of EU countries and the US against the opening of the bridge on the Ibar were aimed at avoiding any conflict.

"There was dissatisfaction from the Quint and the US embassy in Kosovo, even threats that if the government takes unilateral actions, KFOR will be present at the bridge and will not allow it to be opened. The reasons are more political because if the bridge is opened, I am convinced that the local Serbs, under the influence of the Serbian government and the Serbian List, will not be productive in establishing the Community of Serb Municipalities, nor in the political life and in the census that will be conducted anytime in Kosovo," said Sadiku.

According to him, to avoid this, it is necessary to work with the Serbian community in the north to begin cooperation.

"They were waiting for a dialogue between Kosovo and the local Serbs living here. This did not happen, and we did not establish the association as they requested. The national community's demand is clear: to first establish the association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, and then open the bridge, while Kosovo aims to first open the bridge and then establish the association after the national elections, which are expected to be held in January or February 2025," said Sadiku.

He added that the government's actions serve the pre-election climate and this election year.

"It's practically a kind of election populism. The whole situation in the north and all these visits to the north and Gazivode serve the political rhetoric and the population that serves the pre-election climate and this election year. The Self-Determination Movement is a party that particularly uses these situations, especially the poor relationship between Albanians and Serbs, in the best possible way to gain votes and increase the number of votes for their party and to win as much as possible in Kosovo," Sadiku concluded.