The Ibar Bridge has always been open for pedestrian crossings and was not reopened after 25 years, as a news outlet from North Macedonia has misinformed. After the completion of the EU's revitalization work on the bridge, it has never been closed to pedestrians. Currently, discussions are ongoing about opening the central bridge over the Ibar for vehicle traffic, as outlined in the Brussels agreements. However, according to the international community, it is not appropriate to open it for vehicles under the current circumstances.
On September 4, 2024, the news outlet "Struga Ekspres" published a video showing pedestrians crossing the Ibar Bridge in Mitrovica, moving from the south to the north of the city. The post's caption stated: "Citizens are freely moving on both sides of the city after 25 years 'like a forbidden fruit'." This post, shared on Facebook, received 1,400 reactions, 257 comments, and was shared 59 times.
Foto: Struga Ekspres
Given the high public interest in information regarding the bridge, after the government's announcement about opening it for vehicle traffic many "clickbait" news outlets are attempting to exploit the situation to reach a wider audience.
On July 18, 2024, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, stated that his government aims to open the main bridge over the Ibar River. This decision has sparked significant reactions from The QUINT countries, the Serbian community in the north, as well as members of the opposition and civil society.
The European Union's Envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue, Miroslav Lajçak, met with Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi on September 6, where, among other topics, they discussed the bridge. Lajcak reiterated that “the bridge must be opened, but its opening should be done in close cooperation with international partners.”
Since the post-war period, the Ibar Bridge has been a symbol of division between Albanians in the southern part and Serbs in the northern part of Mitrovica. There have been times when it was closed to both pedestrian and vehicle traffic due to barricades, but since its revitalization by the European Union, it has remained open for pedestrians.
*This article is published as part of the Western Balkans Regional Initiative against disinformation. “Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Hub: exposing malign influences through watchdog journalism.”
