Women from Northern Kosovo Demand Action from KFOR Amidst Tensions Over Ibar Bridge

A group of women from Northern Kosovo has issued a stern warning to international authorities regarding the ongoing dispute over the main Ibar Bridge in Mitrovica. In a letter delivered today to the KFOR Commander via Carabinieri, the women express deep concerns about the potential reduction of NATO’s presence at the bridge, which has been a focal point of regional tensions.

„If, under political pressure from the government or perhaps from a NATO country, you decide to reduce your presence at the Ibar Bridge, you will send a terrible message to the northern community that their fears and concerns regarding the policies and intentions of the Kosovo government are irrelevant,“ the letter states. „You would be signaling that the destruction of inter-ethnic relations and escalation are things to be rewarded.“

The Kosovo government is currently working to reopen the Ibar Bridge to traffic, which has been closed for 25 years. However, Western countries, including KFOR and other international agencies, oppose to any changes in the current status of the bridge and insist that discussions should be held in Brussels.

Last week, local Serbs voiced their opposition to the reopening of the bridge through a unanimous vote. Today, the women from the north presented a petition with 415 signatures from their fellow female residents, as claimed, gathered in just one day.

The delegation delivering the letter included activists from the civil sector, but they emphasized that they were acting as private citizens rather than representatives of their organizations. The group consisted of Milica Andrić Rakić, Milica Radovanović, Milena Stijović, Dušica Jovičić, Vesna Generalović, and Jelena Cvetanović, with Danica Kabašić handing over the letter.

In a media statement before the delivery, Milica Radovanović highlighted the severe security and social issues the women face, including job losses due to import bans on Serbian goods, risks to pregnant women and patients with chronic illnesses from irregular medication supplies, and threats to safety from potential arrests of men and dangers to children.

The women accused the Kosovo government of pursuing a nationalist agenda, which they claim has led to sexual harassment of women in the north by individuals from the south. They also criticized the Kosovo Police for failing to be a reliable partner.

The letter calls on KFOR to take decisive action, criticizing the ineffectiveness of EU and Quint statements over the years in improving security on the ground. It also challenges the paradox of witnessing militarization in the north while arguing for the demilitarization of the bridge.

The group demands a meeting with KFOR Commander Major General Özkan Ulutaş to address their concerns directly. They accuse Pristina of presenting a false narrative of good inter-ethnic relations while failing to communicate effectively with the Serb community, leaving Albanians to misinterpret their needs and desires.

The full text of the letter follows below.

To: The Commander of the NATO-led KFOR mission, Major General Özkan Ulutaş

Cc: Multinational Specialized Unit (MSU) of the Italian Carabinieri guarding the Ibar Bridge
Honorable Major Ulutaş,

In 1999, the KFOR mission was installed to „build peace and stability in Kosovo.“ As the security situation stabilized, political processes were able to take root, living conditions for all communities improved, and a sense of dignity was restored. However, the time has come for your mission to recognize the deterioration of political dialogue and the authentic processes that once flourished under your protection. It is essential to reassess your role in preventing a complete regression to the conditions of 1999.

When political leaders fail to secure stability and actively undermine it, it falls to you to decisively end such harmful actions. It is time to acknowledge that ineffective statements from the EU and Quint do not positively impact the security situation in Kosovo. Actions must be taken to ensure that recent developments do not further endanger NATO soldiers or ethnic and religious minorities in Kosovo.

Your mission maintains close contact with our community, and you must be aware of the difficult situation women, in particular, face, and we would like to reiterate some of our concerns. The ultra-nationalists in the current Kosovo government have actively encouraged like-minded individuals with indecent intentions to invade our previously safe public spaces, leading to a significant increase in reports of sexual harassment on the streets, especially in the evening hours.

Due to the unreasonable policies of banning the import of Serbian dinars and goods, many of us have become jobless as markets and boutique shops—where women are predominantly employed—are rapidly shutting down. Our male family members are under constant threat of arrest on false charges of violating the constitutional order, which in some cases leads to family separations or deep destabilization of the family unit.

The unstable supply of medicine has forced pregnant women and women with chronic conditions to travel to Serbia to obtain their therapies or constantly seek someone traveling there to purchase the necessary medications. It has become commonplace to ask family or friends traveling to Serbia if they need any medicine or other products. Retired women, rarely able to drive, must travel by bus to Serbia to collect their pensions or entrust their savings and bank account information to family members or friends.

We understand that these issues are not within KFOR’s mandate to solve. However, it is important to recognize that they are symptoms of failing political processes that lead to security escalations. This is why KFOR must be more decisive than your nations’ diplomatic missions. The current diplomatic efforts are not only failing to ensure our dignified lives but are also endangering you and your reputation.

You may feel that the Kosovo Police, as first responders, are better suited to address some of our concerns. However, we must emphasize that we have no reliable partners in the Kosovo Police. In the last month, Deputy Regional Director Veton Elshani made the following statements:

• „If a criminal wears a mask at night, commits a crime, and there is a shooting by the Special Police, no one would like a minor to be found behind that mask, God forbid.“
• „I also consider health and education services parallel structures; they will be a problem for us until they are under our management.“

It is difficult to interpret these statements as anything other than a threat to our children’s safety and their right to education and healthcare. The latter statement is a direct political comment, as the police do not govern education and healthcare institutions; that is the responsibility of local and central governments. Mr. Elshani’s words suggest that he sees himself as part of the political leadership in the government and that the police under his command are mere political tools.

Consequently, this police force is not trustworthy, and many women refuse to report cases of sexual harassment by Albanian ultra-nationalists. Furthermore, they refrain from sharing these experiences with male family members, fearing their reactions or potential reprisals against the perpetrators.

Should you, under political pressure from the government or possibly other NATO countries, decide to diminish your presence on the bridge over the Ibar River, you will be sending a devastating message to the northern community.

This would signal that their concerns and reservations about the policies and intentions of the Kosovo government are invalid. Such a move would also suggest that the erosion of inter-ethnic relations and the escalation of tensions are to be rewarded.

No security officer, in good conscience, can assess that opening the bridge for traffic is a good idea at this moment, especially while a de facto police state is installed on one side of that bridge. The security situation cannot simultaneously justify the daily presence of Special Police and armored personnel carriers in the north, the existence of numerous fortified Special Police bases, and the opening of the most dangerous neuralgic point of post-war inter-ethnic confrontations. These realities cannot coexist.

For the majority community in the north to consider opening the bridge for traffic, we must reach a point where coexistence, good governance, and mutual respect are promoted by political elites. It requires a reality where services to Kosovo Serbs are reinstated and no longer threatened by the central government, a reality where individuals with good and honorable intentions lead efforts to build inter-ethnic ties and a sustainable future, and a reality where there is a minimum of trust and confidence between the community and the police. We urge you to put aside political considerations and focus solely on security for the sake of that reality, which we sincerely believe in.

Remember,

„A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case, he is justly accountable to them for the injury.“

This letter was compiled by a group of women from north Kosovo. Our representative is eager to further elaborate on our points in person with you, Major General Özkan Ulutaş. We find this method of addressing you necessary amid active government attempts to fabricate a positive state of inter-ethnic relations and maintain close contacts with the community. In reality, we are experiencing a complete breakdown of communication and a public space dominated by Albanians interpreting Kosovo Serb positions.

Thank you in advance for your time in considering our request for a meeting.