Ten days have passed since KFOR, NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, announced the start of a “gradual transition of its permanent presence” on the main bridge over the Ibër River in Mitrovica.

The change comes after responsibility for the bridge’s security and administration was transferred to the Kosovo Police, while KFOR units are gradually reducing their permanent presence at the site.

Civil society representatives and city residents view the development as an opportunity to bring Mitrovica’s two sides closer together.

Betim Osmani of the Civic Initiative in North Mitrovica considers the transfer of responsibilities from KFOR to local institutions an important step toward greater unity between the north and the south.

Osmani says the decision should have been made earlier, while noting that the north needs investment after going without it for 27 years. According to him, measures are needed to bring citizens back, particularly members of the Albanian community, as well as to rebuild and integrate education and healthcare—quality services that, he says, residents of the north have lacked for 27 years.

For Osmani, KFOR’s gradual withdrawal is a sign that responsibility for security on the bridge is increasingly being transferred to Kosovo’s institutions.

He believes the process could lead to the return of vehicle traffic by the end of the year. According to him, this is a gradual move, and the removal of the tent previously used by the Carabinieri shows that the situation is changing. Osmani adds that, after the summer season ends, vehicles could begin crossing the bridge by the end of the year.

He stresses that there have been no significant tensions in the area in recent years. For this reason, he says, the constant presence of forces on the bridge is not necessary, while increasing the number of police officers or patrols in the north, alongside KFOR’s presence, would be sufficient.

Osmani recalls that four other bridges linking the north and south are also located near the Ibër River, and says there have been no problems using them.

Unlike before, Skender Sadiku, also from the Civic Initiative in North Mitrovica, hopes the process will not be halted by political pressure or interests.

According to Sadiku, freedom of movement is a fundamental right and institutions must guarantee it for all citizens. He says bridges are built to connect people and cultures, so all circumstances should lead to their opening.

Sadiku emphasizes that North Mitrovica faces more urgent problems than the bridge issue, particularly in healthcare services and infrastructure.

Meanwhile, citizens who use the bridge have noticed changes in security and in the way traffic has been managed in recent months.

Sadri Imeri describes the bridge as the main connection between the two parts of the city and hopes vehicle traffic will soon be allowed as well. He says crossing has become easier and freer, but stresses that the other bridges do not serve the same function as the bridge in the city center.

Imeri recalls that crossing this area used to be very difficult because of Serbian gangs, obstacles and a lack of security. According to him, the situation has now been normalized, and he expects traffic to be freed up within two or three weeks.

Sylejman Curri attributes the change in the situation to the presence and control of the Kosovo Police. He says this has allowed citizens to move much more freely and without fear, describing the easing of traffic restrictions as 100 percent.

Curri says that in the past, armed individuals would appear in the area around the bakery and police station, while residents did not dare cross to that side. Today, he says, such a situation cannot occur because that area is controlled by the Kosovo Police.

On August 20, one day before the report, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić asked NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte not to continue the gradual reduction of KFOR’s presence on the main bridge over the Ibër River.

Vučić said that KFOR’s withdrawal at this time could create, as he put it, “conditions for a final confrontation with the Serbian population” in northern Kosovo.

NATO has said that any decision on the possible opening of the bridge to vehicle traffic must take into account the needs of all local communities.

A NATO official told Radio Free Europe that KFOR would continue to provide the necessary security support so that the European Union’s diplomatic efforts could move forward.

Currently, the main bridge over the Ibër River is used only by pedestrians. Kosovo’s government had announced in July 2024 that the bridge would also be opened to vehicles, but the initiative triggered tensions and reactions from the international community.

The post KFOR presence on the Ibër Bridge is decreasing, calls made for the return of vehicles appeared first on Albeu.com.

KFOR has announced that it will begin gradually withdrawing its permanent presence from the main bridge over the Ibër River in Mitrovica, citing the improvement of the security situation in Kosovo.

At the same time, the Kosovo Police has begun assuming responsibility for security at the bridge, while other responsibilities are also being transferred in the area surrounding the Deçan Monastery.

The process is considered important for increasing the role and capabilities of Kosovo’s institutions in guaranteeing security throughout the territory. At the same time, it is also seen as a political message to Belgrade and to actors who oppose the consolidation of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo.

Albanian-American activist Agim Aliçkaj described KFOR’s announcement as very positive news for Kosovo. Speaking to “Bota sot,” he said the development demonstrates the functioning of the state and the expansion of its institutions’ responsibilities in the field of security.

“KFOR’s announcement on the gradual transfer of oversight of the main Ibër Bridge, as well as the gradual involvement of the Kosovo Police in securing the Deçan Monastery, is very good news for the state of Kosovo. Although the establishment of the institutions has been accompanied by problems, caused mainly by blockades from those who lost the elections, the state continues to function. In such cases, many voices emerge seeking to claim this major achievement for themselves, since, as they say: ‘Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.’ Nevertheless, the main credit belongs to Prime Minister Kurti and the Kosovo Police,” Aliçkaj declared.

He also focused on the symbolic importance of the Ibër Bridge, which he described as a key element for the unification of Mitrovica and for incorporating northern Kosovo into the functioning of the state.

According to him, bridges have a unifying role, while the Ibër Bridge represents the unification of Mitrovica and northern Kosovo, as well as Kosovo’s functioning as a strong and unified state throughout its internationally recognized territory.

“After the risk of a confrontation with KFOR over the main bridge across the Ibër, the Government of Kosovo made a strategic retreat. It took a measured and very wise decision to build new bridges over the Ibër River. The project was completed quickly and professionally,” Aliçkaj said.

He said the construction of the new bridges had diminished the importance of the main Ibër Bridge, while their use had shown that movement and connections between the parts of Mitrovica could develop normally without endangering the communities living in the north.

“The new bridges reduced the importance of the bridge controlled by KFOR. At the same time, they demonstrated that they function normally and pose no danger to the people of northern Kosovo, including the Serb minority. On the contrary, they are in everyone’s interest, as they make life easier for people regardless of nationality. The Kosovo Police is proving every day that it is organized, professional and capable of guaranteeing the security of the people of Kosovo. This significantly assists KFOR, creating opportunities for it to reduce the troops engaged in internal security and focus them on protecting the borders of the state of Kosovo,” Aliçkaj declared.

Regarding the Deçan Monastery, Aliçkaj said the gradual transfer of responsibilities to the Kosovo Police was a sign of growing international trust in the country’s institutions and their ability to protect sites of cultural importance.

“Historically, the Deçan Monastery has always been guarded and protected by Albanians, as it represents a national value, despite having been forcibly and illegally appropriated by the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Kosovo Police has earned international trust that it is capable of protecting Kosovo’s cultural heritage,” he said.

The Albanian-American activist also commented on the Serbian List’s reactions to KFOR’s decisions. According to him, these positions demonstrate the party’s opposition to the strengthening of Kosovo’s institutions and convey a clear message to Belgrade.

“The Serbian List’s reaction against KFOR’s decisions was expected. It is proving every day that it is a hostile organization, controlled and established by the Serbian regime for the destruction of Kosovo. The message to Belgrade is clear: its plans to reconquer Kosovo cannot be realized. The sooner the Serb minority breaks away from the Serbian List and Serbia, accepting and serving the state of Kosovo, the better it will be for them,” Aliçkaj said.

According to him, this issue is also expected to affect the domestic political debate, particularly relations with the opposition and the way the achievements of Kosovo’s institutions are assessed. Aliçkaj stressed that political clashes should not undermine the functioning of the state.

“Kosovo’s opposition continues to boycott the state, ignoring and denying this achievement, as well as every other success of Prime Minister Kurti and his coalition. He won the people’s votes to govern for a third time as well. Instead of respecting the will of the citizens, enabling normal governance and voting for a consensual non-partisan president, they continue with the same destructive actions, which the people understand and punish. The sooner the opposition leaders break away from Rama, Grenell, the oligarchs and the press sold out to Kosovo’s enemies, the better it will be for them and for the Republic of Kosovo,” he declared.

In conclusion, Aliçkaj said developments in the security sector should be assessed beyond partisan interests and as part of the process of strengthening the state of Kosovo.

“People’s votes cannot be won without having any positive and realistic program for governance. It is not right to harm the state in the hope that this will weaken the political opponent. Without a state, there are no political parties,” Agim Aliçkaj concluded in comments to “Bota sot.”

The post KFOR’s Transition at the Ibër Bridge, Aliçkaj: The Decision Confirms to Belgrade That a Return to Kosovo Is Impossible appeared first on Albeu.com.