Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani said on August 15 the country must ensure that the main bridge in Mitrovica, which divides the northern city into an Albanian-majority southern side and a Serb-majority northern side, is opened in a way that does not provoke conflict with Kosovo's international partners.
The country’s prime minister, Albin Kurti, announced at the beginning of August plans to open the bridge to vehicle traffic, a move that was opposed by members of both NATO and Quint, an informal decision-making group consisting of the United States, France, Germany, Italy, and Britain.
The announcement sparked protests by Serbs in northern Kosovo, who expressed concerns that the move would increase ethnic tensions and impact their safety.
SEE ALSO: News Analysis: Kosovo Further Alienates Minority Serbs, Straining Status As 'Reliable Partner'Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement about the bridge in Brussels in 2014 and the European Union funded its revitalization worth 1.5 million euros. The bridge was supposed to open in 2017, but it is currently open only for pedestrians.
The U.S. ambassador to Pristina, Jeffrey Hovenier, has said that, while the United States believes the bridge should ultimately be open to vehicles, "this is not the time," due to security concerns.
"We believe there's a real risk associated with taking this action right now," he said in an interview with RFE/RL's Kosovo Service on August 13, citing potential violence and threats to NATO soldiers, including Americans.
The European Union has repeated its stance that the issue of opening of the bridge in Mitrovica should be resolved within the framework of official dialogue.
Osmani said that the bridge in Mitrovica "must absolutely be opened."
“But we must ensure that when it is opened, it remains open permanently, [and] that its opening doesn’t lead to a much greater NATO presence there,” she told reporters on August 15 during a visit to the southern town of Viti.
SEE ALSO: U.S. Ambassador Says Partnership With Kosovo 'Not What We Would Hope'NATO forces have been operating in Kosovo to maintain peace and stability since 1999, when the Western military alliance intervened to stop escalating violence being perpetrated by Serbian forces against ethnic Albanians in what was then a province of Serbia.
Kosovo went on to declare independence in 2008, but neither Serbia, nor its traditional ally Russia have recognized its sovereignty.
Soldiers from NATO's mission to Kosovo, KFOR, are currently stationed on the bridge in Mitrovica, while members of the Kosovo Police patrol nearby.
“Is it in Kosovo's interest to see conflict between Kosovo police and an American soldier? I don't believe there is any Albanian who would agree with that. We have no reason for a conflict with our allies. They have saved us," Osmani added.
KFOR has said it could "adjust" its presence "as needed and will not hesitate to act in response to any significant security developments and in accordance with our UN mandate."
Kurti has defended the plans to open the bridge, saying his government will continue consultations with international partners.
Osmani, however, dismissed the EU position that the issue of opening of the bridge in Mitrovica should be resolved within the official dialogue with Serbia.
“I oppose in every way the discussion of the bridge opening in Brussels. We have no reason to ask Serbia," she said.
Osmani was elected president in 2021 with the support of Kurti's party, Vetevendosje (Self-Determination), but the two have recently disagreed on issues like the level of coordination with Kosovo's international allies.
Kosovo's plan to open the bridge in Mitrovica comes amid rising tensions in the Serb-majority north of the country.
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Proposed Bridge Opening Raises Tensions With Kosovo Serbs
Earlier in August, the Kosovar authorities closed down nine branches of the Serbian post office in the north after determining that they were operating illegally and without a license, a move that was criticized by the United States and the European Union, which have mediated Serbia-Kosovo relations for over a decade.
There are an estimated 120,000 ethnic Serbs living in Kosovo, mostly in the north, and many still receive benefits or pensions from Serbia.