Serbian Official: Opening Bridge on Ibar Potential Major Escalation Point

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nemanja Starovic (Photo: printscreen/youtube)

Serbian Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Nemanja Starovic said on Aug. 7 that the announced opening of the main bridge over the Ibar River between northern and southern Kosovska Mitrovica was potentially a major point of escalation.

The opening of the bridge on the Ibar was earlier announced for Aug. 7, which could result in protests in both the northern and southern part of Mitrovica.
"The bridge has actual importance, but also great symbolic value, because for the Serbs that was the last point of resistance both in 1999 and over the next 25 years. The point at which Kosovska Mitrovica was preserved, its multiethnic character, but also the entire north of Kosovo and Metohija," Starovic told Prva TV.

He reiterated the position previously presented by a number of Serbian officials, that Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti, by announcing the opening of the bridge, arresting Serbs and shutting down Serbian post offices in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, "wants to cause some kind of conflict and pull Serbia into a war."

KFOR has reiterated its stance that the decision to open the main bridge over the Ibar in Kosovska Mitrovica should be made within the dialogue process, with EU mediation.

EULEX said on Aug. 7 it was closely monitoring the security situation in the north and that, if necessary, it would back the Kosovo police in maintaining public order and peace and in the event of riots.