The EU says that Kosovo will remain "alone and backward" if it does not listen to its friends

2024-08-16 08:24:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The EU says that Kosovo will remain "alone and backward" if it does

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The spokesperson of the European Union (EU), Peter Stano, has warned Kosovo that it risks remaining "alone and behind" if it does not listen to its friends and allies, after its recent actions in the north of the country with a Serbian majority.

"We have nothing to say on this topic of reopening the bridge. I can only remind for all those who have trouble listening and understanding that all friends and allies of Kosovo [EU, USA, NATO and Great Britain] have clearly and unequivocally said that it is in the interest of Kosovo to listen to friends and allies, otherwise there is a risk of being lonely and left behind", said Stano.

The government of Kosovo announced at the beginning of August its intentions to open the bridge over the Ibër river for vehicle traffic, which divides Mitrovica in the south with an Albanian majority and in the north with a Serbian majority, despite all the opposition from the USA, EU- here are the places of QUINT.

Earlier this week, the American ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, said in an interview with Radio Free Europe that there is a real risk that the opening of the bridge in Mitrovica at this time could affect the safety of NATO soldiers, including the american ones.

He said that he hopes that the Government of Kosovo will listen to their request.

On Thursday, the president of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, said that Kosovo must ensure that the bridge in the north is opened in a way that does not provoke conflict with the country's allies, nor the increased presence of the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR.

President Osmani, however, said that Kosovo should not discuss the issue of the bridge with Serbia in Brussels and added that the EU's recent statements regarding the bridge are "racist".

Asked about the criticism of Government officials and Osmani towards the bloc - which has called for the bridge issue to be discussed in dialogue with Serbia in Brussels - Stano said that it is not about any new agreement, but about the implementation of that one. previously achieved for the bridge.

"I can also repeat what we have advised Pristina on a number of occasions: Good governance means approaching and engaging the communities affected by specific decisions. To deal with the issue of the bridge within the dialogue facilitated by the EU, means to discuss the modalities of the implementation of the agreement reached for the bridge and not a new agreement", he added.

In the framework of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, the parties agreed in 2014 that the bridge should be opened for traffic, but this has never been realized in practice. Only one side of it is open for pedestrians.

The bridge is currently only open for pedestrians and the Italian KFOR soldiers are on the bridge. Members of the Kosovo Police are located near it as well.

The NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, has warned that it will not hesitate to act to respond to security-related developments./ Rel