POLL Serbs from North Mitrovica: It is not time to open the bridge, they should leave us alone for once

Serbs from North Mitrovica are opposed to the opening of the bridge over the Ibar River and emphasize that it is not the right time to do so because they do not feel safe, as they say.

As assessed by those with whom the Kosovo Online reporter spoke, the opening of the bridge would only worsen the security situation.

They believe that the proposal adopted by Albanian councilors in the local assembly is premature and actually aims to further escalate tensions.

"I don't believe the bridge will be opened, it's not the right time, nor will it ever be. It will remain like this. What the Albanians say is nothing, they have plenty over there. They should leave us alone for once," a local resident told us.

An older gentleman also thinks that conditions have not been met and that the leadership in Pristina wants to complete the independence of the whole territory of Kosovo.

"For now, it is not convenient to open the bridge. Bridges are built to connect people, but both sides, Albanians and we Serbs, should live as we did during brotherhood and unity, with mutual respect. Restore that first, and then open all of this. Conditions have not been met yet because the situation is still tense. The leadership in Pristina is working to seize the entire territory with both hands and say, 'This is ours, and we will not give up an inch'. It is up to the wise leadership of Serbia to suppress this and normalize life here between Albanians and Serbs," he said.

Another resident of North Mitrovica with whom we spoke confirmed that freedom is not at the expected level.

"I don't believe it's the right time to open the bridge. We don't have peace here, let alone the freedom to go there. I can't even go to the Bosniak neighborhood alone, I always worry. If I look at someone, they immediately ask, 'What are you looking at?' We don't even have much freedom here, let alone if the bridge is opened. Then we won't have any freedom," this Mitrovica resident told us.

The decision to open the main bridge over the Ibar River and send a request to relevant institutions was passed at a meeting of the local assembly in North Mitrovica on the proposal of a Self-Determination Movement councilor.

However, political representatives of Serbs from Kosovo, as well as official Belgrade, have assessed that it is actually a new attempt by Pristina to destabilize the situation in the north of Kosovo. International representatives have also assessed that it is not the right time to open the bridge. Only the Kosovo government supported the initiative to open the bridge.