Kosovska Mitrovica bridge (BETA/SASA DJORDJEVIC)
On Aug. 25, Admiral George Wikoff, the commander of United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples, said that the decision whether or not to re-open the bridge over the Ibar in Kosovska Mitrovica to vehicular traffic rests with the European Union and Kosovo authorities.
KFOR presence on the bridge – which separates the Serb-dominated North Mitrovica from the majority-Albanian South Mitrovica – is based on NATO security assessments, but whether or not the bridge should be reopened is beyond the KFOR mission’s purview, the Koha Ditore daily quoted the admiral as saying.
Once KFOR’s permanent presence at the site ends, he added, “it will be up to the EU and relevant Kosovo institutions” to decide the further fate of the bridge, which has remained a point of contention and conflict since 1999.
On Aug. 10, KFOR announced it had begun gradually withdrawing its permanent presence from the Ibar bridge and that it had begun gradually including Kosovo Police in securing the Visoki Decani Monastery, a 14th-century Serbian monastery and UNESCO World Heritage Site which has been subject to multiple attacks.
In a Aug. 25 press release, KFOR stated it is currently optimizing the allocation of its forces, as previously announced on June 12, so as to ensure the mission continues to serve its purpose. To this end, KFOR will increase its presence in certain areas of Kosovo, “including but not limited to North Mitrovica and northern Kosovo,” it was said.
To get full access to all content of interest see our
Subscription offer
Or
Register for free
And read up to 5 articles each month.
Already have an account? Please Log in.