Hoti: They Tried to Convince Us the Bridge Could Not Be Built, but It Has Been Proven Possible

Andin Hoti, acting Minister for the Family and the Values of the Liberation War, has said that state-building requires exercising responsibility rather than accepting the status quo.

In his statement, Hoti said the presence of the Kosovo Police near the Ibar Bridge, as well as ensuring free and safe movement for all citizens, shows that the Republic of Kosovo now has the institutions, authority and capacity needed to carry out its mandate in every part of its territory.

He recalled that for many years, it had been claimed that such a thing could not be achieved, that the North should not be touched and that the Ibar Bridge constituted a boundary that could not be crossed. According to him, it was also said that extending law and order would jeopardize stability, while fear and preserving the existing situation were presented as political prudence.

Hoti emphasized that the opposite has now been proven. According to him, this can be achieved through determination, functioning institutions, enforcement of the law and coordination with international partners.

“What was previously considered an insurmountable obstacle is now becoming a normal reality. It is normal for citizens to move freely, for the Kosovo Police to guarantee security throughout the territory of the Republic and for the bridge to bring people together rather than divide them,” Hoti wrote in his statement.