EU to Kosovo Online: Decisions regarding the Ibar bridge should take into account the interests and concerns of all communities

The European Union's position on the bridge over the Ibar has always been clear and guided by the need to ensure that it serves all the communities and municipalities it connects and contributes to cooperation and good relations among them, an EU spokesperson told Kosovo Online.

In response to Kosovo Online's questions about the opening of the bridge over the Ibar, the EU said that NATO is responsible for deciding on the position of the NATO mission in Kosovo and that the EU has been informed by the Alliance.

“The EU's position on the bridge has always been clear and guided by the need to ensure that it serves all the communities and municipalities it connects and contributes to cooperation and good relations among them. Following the transfer of local administration in the north after the local elections, effective coordination and meaningful consultations between the relevant municipalities and institutions at the central level need to be improved,” the EU spokesperson stressed.

He added that it is important for the Kosovo Police to ensure the security of all communities, in accordance with democratic principles, human rights principles, and the rule of law, so that, as he stressed, everyone feels safe.

“All decisions regarding the bridge should take into account the interests and concerns of all communities. As part of Kosovo's three-tiered security response mechanism, the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) was informed in a timely manner by KFOR about the gradual transition of its permanent presence,” the EU spokesperson said.

According to him, the mission will continue its close cooperation with the Kosovo Police and KFOR to ensure adequate security for all communities throughout Kosovo, in accordance with its mandate.

Interlocutors interviewed by Kosovo Online, when asked why the Carabinieri are being withdrawn from the main bridge over the Ibar and why the Kosovo Police is becoming involved in providing security at the Visoki Decani Monastery, warn that the new security arrangement is being introduced at a time when Serbs' trust in the Kosovo Police is very low and concerns about security remain.