Anniversary of the signing of the Brussels Agreement - CSM and the bridge over the Ibar River remain relevant nine years later

On this day, exactly nine years ago, on August 25, 2016, agreements between Belgrade and Pristina were signed in Brussels regarding the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM), energy, telecommunications, and the bridge over the Ibar River.

In the presence of the then-head of European diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, the parties signed agreements on telecommunications, energy, the opening of the bridge over the Ibar River in Mitrovica to traffic, and the association of municipalities with a Serbian majority.

The agreements were signed by the then-Prime Ministers of Serbia and Kosovo, Aleksandar Vucic and Isa Mustafa, in the presence of Federica Mogherini.

After the signing of the agreements, Vucic emphasized that the Community of Serb Municipalities would have broad powers, that it would have its own president and vice president, and would make decisions on healthcare, education, urban and rural planning, and economic development, as well as being able to receive funding from Serbia without taxes, fees, and customs duties.

Mogherini stated that consensus was reached "on the general principles and key elements of the Community of Serb Municipalities, paving the way for its formation," while Isa Mustafa assured that all agreements were in accordance with Kosovo's constitution and laws, that the CSM would have support and cooperate with the Government of Serbia, but that it would not have any original powers.

The then-director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Djuric, stated that the result of that round of negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels was 5:0 for Serbia and that, in addition to the four signed agreements, the fifth triumph was the support for opening negotiation chapters.

"When I say in sports terms that the score is 5:0 for Serbia, I mean the four agreements (that were signed tonight in Brussels) and the fifth point - the fact that Serbia will finally undoubtedly receive significantly greater support for Euro-Atlantic integration, including the opening of chapters," Djuric told TV B92.

Djuric mentioned at the time that the CSM would have significant executive powers, its own president, assembly, and direct ties with Serbia.

"The drafting of the CSM Statute will have four months available, and these will be challenging talks, but the main political agreement has been reached," Djuric said at the time.

Regarding the agreement on the Ibar bridge, Djuric said that a solution was reached that clearly, for the first time, establishes the delineation between southern and northern Mitrovica.

"King Petar Street will be completely and permanently closed to traffic; it will be the new Knez Mihajlova Street of Mitrovica. The citizens of northern Mitrovica can be very satisfied," Djuric said.

The then-Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, said that "the Community of municipalities with a Serbian majority will not have any executive powers."

"The agreements are in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Kosovo," Mustafa said.

The then-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, stated that the agreements were "fully aligned with the Constitution and laws of Kosovo" and that "the association will not have executive powers."