Construction of two new bridges over the Ibar River is in full swing – one for vehicles near the North Mitrovica municipality building, and another pedestrian bridge near the “Three Towers.” Even workers from the Ibar-Lepenac public company have been brought in.
The company’s CEO, Faruk Mujka, confirmed their involvement, saying that his team worked on clearing the riverbank on the northern side.
“We are happy that as ‘Ibar-Lepenac’ we can contribute even beyond our official area of responsibility. Yesterday and today, we were near the Three Towers on the north bank of the Ibar, clearing the terrain in preparation for a new bridge, in line with the Government’s decision,” Mujka wrote in a Facebook post.
He added that “the beginning of change is increasingly being felt day by day.”
The day before, Deputy Mayor of South Mitrovica Arian Tahiri visited the construction site of the pedestrian bridge.
“Construction continues at full intensity. After being postponed for a long time due to a lack of funds, our project is finally becoming reality,” he said, noting that a metal bridge once stood at the same location.
Tahiri promised that citizens would be able to “enjoy” the bridge this autumn, calling it a complement to the recently renovated riverfront promenade.
He also published several photos from the southern side and has regularly reported on bridge projects in recent months. Recently, he shared a video animation of the second bridge – a vehicular one – under construction near the North Mitrovica municipality building.
According to the animation, the bridge will have two lanes for vehicles and narrow pedestrian paths on both sides. Completion is expected by September.
Bridges Built as a Workaround for the Still-Closed Main Bridge
The construction of new bridges comes after years of deadlock over the long-promised opening of the main Ibar bridge – the centerpiece of the 2016 EU-facilitated „Revitalization Agreement.“
In June, North and South Mitrovica formed a Joint Committee and signed an inter-municipal cooperation memorandum. Later that month, the EU conducted a load-bearing test of the main bridge – something a Kosovo government official claimed they were unaware of, though this was contradicted by an EU clarification.
With the main bridge still closed to traffic and following failed efforts last year to open it – allegedly blocked by NATO – Kosovo authorities opted to build two entirely new bridges instead.
This move follows the first major decision by the new North Mitrovica local government nearly four years ago – a resolution to open the main bridge. In pursuit of this, they conducted their own testing and even repainted the structure last summer.
Vetëvendosje later went a step further: alongside announcements of the new bridges, they published photos of scale models placed near the main bridge. The party faced backlash, with critics accusing them of misleading the public and distracting from an ongoing institutional crisis.
On July 1st, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti laid the foundation stones for both bridges – a vehicular bridge near the North Mitrovica municipality and a pedestrian bridge heading north from the Three Towers area.
EU Warns Against Unilateral Moves, Investigation Launched
The European Union has since urged Kosovo authorities to refrain from unilateral actions, including construction of the new bridges, stressing the need for community consultation.
Despite this, construction is pressing ahead, with plans to complete both bridges by September – just ahead of the upcoming local elections.
In response, Srpska Lista launched a petition opposing the bridge construction. Over 3,500 signatures were collected in just three days and later submitted to the international community.
Citizens from North Mitrovica who spoke to KoSSev believe the new bridges are merely additional pressure on the Serb community – imposed without their input – and have dubbed them “bridges of spite.”
At the same time, many doubt the petition will have any real impact.
Meanwhile, the legality of the construction process has come under scrutiny. The Special Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation, and local media report that the construction contract was awarded through a negotiated procedure without a public tender.
Reports suggest nearly €3 million has been allocated for the two projects.
Deputy Mayor of South Mitrovica Unveils Animation of New Bridge Over the Ibar
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
