Special Police Unit near the new bridge on the Ibar, Elshani: We will be there until the opening on September 1

Deputy Commander of the Kosovo Police for the North Region, Veton Elshani, stated that the Kosovo Police Special Unit has been deployed to monitor the construction of bridges over the Ibar River in order to ensure general security in the area, Reporteri reports. Elshani added that this police unit will remain there until September 1, when the bridge is scheduled to open.

Elshani said that the police presence has increased vigilance, as the construction of the bridge is a major undertaking, adding that these are “normal police procedures.”

“Until September 1, when the promotion and opening of the bridge has been announced, we will be there, and then we will see how it continues,” Elshani told TV Dukagjini.

He added that these measures were not taken due to any specific warning, but are preventive.

“These are just preventive measures, nothing else. But in the north of the country, we are used to things that may seem unusual to others but are common to us — like having a bomb or explosive thrown at us. That is why we take preventive measures, just so we are not surprised,” said Elshani.

Deputy Minister of Infrastructure in the caretaker government, Hisen Durmishi, announced this morning that paving works have begun on the new bridge connecting the northern and southern sides of the Ibar River, as well as on the access roads on both sides, while the installation of traffic signs is scheduled for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the bridge construction project is under investigation by the Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office, due to suspicions of possible misuse of public funds in the contracting process.

On July 10, the Prosecutor’s Office officially confirmed that it had authorized the Kosovo Police to investigate the manner in which the contract for this project was concluded.

According to the contract award notice published by the Ministry of Infrastructure on the official public procurement website, the project’s value is nearly three million euros. The contract was awarded through a negotiated procedure without a public call for tenders, involving negotiations with five companies.

The lowest bid was €2.89 million, while the highest was €3.42 million. After negotiations, the contract was awarded to “Eurokos Holding SH.PK,” which offered €2.98 million, the second-lowest bid. The company with the lowest bid was eliminated for failing to meet the criteria, Reporteri recalls.

The contract duration is four months.

The foundation stone for the construction of the new bridge over the Ibar was laid on July 1 by caretaker Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti.