Deputy Mayor of South Mitrovica, Arian Tahiri, released a video animation late last night showcasing one of the two new bridges currently under construction over the Ibar River.
The animated video reveals the design of the road bridge located near the municipality of North Mitrovica, in close proximity to the main bridge over the Ibar—a long-standing symbol of division between the city’s north and south.
According to the visual, the new bridge will feature two lanes for vehicular traffic and narrow pedestrian walkways on both sides.
“I’m very happy to be a signatory of the memorandum that brings this beautiful bridge to Mitrovica, as well as another pedestrian bridge! In September, we will celebrate this achievement together,” Tahiri wrote in the post.
Back in June, the municipalities of North and South Mitrovica formed a Joint Committee and subsequently signed an inter-municipal cooperation memorandum.
Shortly after, it emerged that the European Union had conducted a load-bearing test on the “revitalized” main bridge at the end of June. This action was part of the 2016 Brussels Agreement, which envisioned the reopening of the main bridge to traffic—a long-contentious issue between the Serb and Albanian communities.
A representative of the Kosovo government initially claimed that they had not been informed of the test, a claim later indirectly refuted by the EU.
In what appeared to be a shift in strategy after their previous efforts to open the main bridge were reportedly blocked—allegedly by NATO—the Kosovo authorities decided to build two entirely new bridges to connect the two parts of the city.
When the newly installed local government in North Mitrovica took office nearly four years ago, one of its first declared goals was to open the main bridge. In pursuit of this, they carried out their own structural testing and repainted the bridge last summer.
Later, the Vetëvendosje-led government unveiled plans for the construction of two new bridges in Mitrovica and even published images of the scale models placed beside the main bridge. Critics at the time accused the government of misleading the public and deflecting attention from the broader institutional crisis.
On July 1st, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti laid the foundation stones for both bridges—one for vehicles near the municipality of North Mitrovica, and the other, a pedestrian bridge, extending from the south towards the area known as „Three Towers“.
Despite appeals from the European Union urging Kosovo to refrain from unilateral actions, including the construction of contentious infrastructure, the work on both bridges has advanced steadily. Authorities plan to complete both by September—just ahead of the upcoming local elections.
In response, the Serbian List organized a petition against the construction, collecting over 3,500 signatures in three days. The petition has since been forwarded to the international community.
Local residents in North Mitrovica have expressed skepticism and concern, describing the bridges as a form of political pressure on the Serb community. Many have referred to them as “bridges of defiance,” built without consulting those directly affected.
Simultaneously, questions have been raised about the legality of the construction process. The Special Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation, amid media reports that the construction contracts were awarded through a negotiated procedure without a public call for tenders.
Reports also indicate that nearly €3 million has been allocated for the two bridges.
Srpska Lista Launches Petition Opposing New Bridges in Mitrovica
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