Surlic: Closing schools and hospitals in the Serbian system would lead to a mass exodus of Serbs

Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Stefan Surlic, says that the main bridge on the Ibar has long been a symbol of the unconquered north, where Kosovo authorities seek to assert their sovereignty over the entire territory of Kosovo. He added that all actions taken by the Kosovo authorities following the announcement of the bridge's opening – which remains closed – are a product of compensation, aiming to present themselves to the public as suppressing all Serbian state institutions in northern Kosovo.

"I don't think this will stop here, and I believe the University will be targeted next, as it has been labeled several times as an illegal institution, even though it was foreseen in the Ahtisaari Plan. Healthcare and education may also come under attack, but I think it would be too risky for Kurti to shut down primary and secondary schools and hospitals, as that would indeed lead to a mass exodus of people. If we are talking about why Serbs still live in Kosovo, it is primarily because of the healthcare and education systems, which are still part of the Serbian system. I assume that, although international actors have been lenient toward Albin Kurti's government, they are aware that this is a red line that must not be crossed, and they will likely engage with him differently regarding this issue," Surlic said.

He also points out that the main bridge on the Ibar is a living monument to Serbs who are no longer part of the urban centers of cities like Pristina, Prizren, Pec, Urosevac...

"It is well known that this bridge is a symbol of defending the only remaining urban center. Northern Kosovska Mitrovica is the administrative, political, and institutional center for all Serbs living in Kosovo, and this is indeed an attempt to mark the territory and eliminate this last urban center. In the past 25 years, no Albanian government in Pristina has shown even the slightest initiative to integrate Serbs into the cities or to recognize them as a socially, politically, or relevant element," Surlic emphasized.