Spahiu: The Quint did not say they oppose the bridge opening, they are distancing themselves from possible consequences

Political analyst Nexhmedin Spahiu says that the representatives of the Quint countries and the EU did not tell Prime Minister Albin Kurti that they oppose his intention to open the main bridge on the Ibar, but rather that they do not support this intention, thereby distancing themselves from any potential consequences.

"They didn't say they are against it; they said they do not support it. Not supporting and being against are two different things. Not supporting means that we are not taking responsibility for what might happen as a result of this action. Being against means that we will oppose this political move. They essentially only said that they do not support it. This is a signal to Kurti that he can still proceed and carry it out," Spahiu said to Kosovo Online.

He has no doubt that for Kurti, the opening of the main bridge on the Ibar is his key pre-election card.

"It is also a matter of symbolism. The bridge was once a place where conflicts occurred, and opening the bridge would signify the end of those conflicts and that he (Albin Kurti) has managed to calm the situation. This is his interest, to show that he has achieved something in order to win votes, to claim that he accomplished something during his mandate because, in many other areas, he has not achieved any results: in healthcare, education, infrastructure, the legal system... All these are areas where he has not made any positive progress, only negative results. Opening the bridge would mean that he has achieved something during his term," Spahiu emphasizes.

He adds that, on the other hand, the opening of the bridge is more necessary for the citizens of North Mitrovica than for those of South Mitrovica.

"Now, the bridge no longer represents any security threat. Anyone who wants to cause unrest can do so even without a car; they can do it on foot since the bridge is open to pedestrians. Opening the bridge is simply a convenience, especially for the citizens of the northern part of the city, because when entering from the south to the north, you only have narrow streets, as the main road has become a pedestrian zone. But when going from the north to the south, you can immediately access the main road. So, it is more needed by the citizens of North Mitrovica than those in the southern part," Spahiu says.