The President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic met today in Belgrade with the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Aleksandar Botsan-Kharchenko and indicated that a special topic of the conversation was the situation in Kosovo and the possibility of an uncoordinated opening of the Iber bridge in the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica, Northern Kosovo , quoted by BTA.
„A special topic of discussion was the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, and I expressed deep concern about the possible consequences of the non-Serbian opening of the Ibar bridge, as well as other planned actions by the authorities in Pristina, directed against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohia“, Vucic wrote on his Instagram account.
The Kosovo government announced earlier this year that it intended to open the bridge over the Ibar River, which separates the predominantly Albanian southern part of Mitrovica from the predominantly Serbian northern part of the city, to vehicular traffic. The bridge over the Iber River has been closed for over two decades and has repeatedly become the scene of clashes between representatives of the two communities.
Serbia does not recognize the independence of its former province of Kosovo, declared in 2008. Belgrade and Pristina are conducting a dialogue to normalize relations with the mediation of the EU.
Vucic again thanked Russia for its consistent diplomatic support for Resolution 1244, as the only international guarantee for the survival of the Serbs in Kosovo.
„We had an open and honest conversation with Ambassador Botsan-Kharchenko on all topics of interest to Serbia and the Russian Federation, as well as on Serbia's positions in relation to current global geopolitical developments,” added the president.