Mitrovica Mayor, Agim Bahtiri, has strongly condemned the recent incidents in both the southern and northern parts of the city saying they were happening at a time when the situation is generally calm and the interethnic relations are improving. He said the latest incidents targeting members of Serbian as well as Albanian communities were unacceptable and called on law enforcement authorities to bring authors of these acts to justice as soon as possible.

Several news websites report that the United States Ambassador in Pristina, Greg Delawie, visited the main bridge in Mitrovica on Thursday. “Glad to see the Mitrovica Bridge renovated and open for pedestrians. Positive result of the EU dialogue,” Delawie wrote on his Twitter account.

Mitrovica South Mayor Agim Bahtiri told BIRN that due partly to increased political tensions in the northern part of Kosovo, the reopening of the bridge that links the Albanian and the Serb-inhabited parts of the divided city of Mitrovica has been postponed to May. “Problems that arose from the construction of the wall have resulted in the delay. We expect the bridge to be opened in the first ten days of May,” Bahtiri said. Kosovo’s Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, said the process of reopening the bridge for pedestrians and vehicles is in its final phase.

Despite the Kosovo Albanian politicians claims, Federica Mogherini will not attend the opening of the main bridge on the Ibar in Kosovska Mitrovica on March 4.

The reason, according to Beta, that is quoting the daily Vecernje Novosti, is that the bridge will not be opened then.

Mayor of Northern Mitrovica Goran Rakic told the newspaper that according to the Brussels agreement, the bridge will be opened once the works in the pedestrian zone in Kralja Petra Street have been completed.

The move by Mitrovica municipal authorities to put up Albanian street names in the village of Suhodoll/Suvi Do has led to the reaction of Mitrovica North Mayor Goran Rakic who warned that “unilateral actions will not be tolerated.”  “I reemphsise that the southern and northern municipalities of Mitrovica have not signed the memorandum on their boundaries therefore such actions are illegal and unacceptable,” Rakic said.

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, said the project for revitalization of Mitrovica bridge is being fully implemented and that the agreement for the removal of Mitrovica North wall was “the best possible solution.”

The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Kosovo, Ruairi O’Connell, considers that Kosovo and Serbia should continue with the dialogue mediated by the European Union. In an interview for Radio Kosova, O’Connell said that he does not believe the recently increased tensions between Kosovo and Serbia could lead to a new conflict.  “I am very pleased that the Presidents and the Prime Ministers, as far as I know, agreed to lower tensions and this is very important,” O’Connell said.

The inauguration of the main Mitrovica bridge set to take place today has been postponed and a new date will be announced after an agreement between Pristina and Belgrade, said Maja Kocijancic, European Union’s foreign affairs spokesperson. “We are continuing discussions with the two sides to find an acceptable solution on all issues relating to works in the Mitrovica bridge and the ‘King Peter’ street, including a new date for the reopening,” Kocijancic said.

A group of a dozen young men in the Albanian part of the village of Suvi Do/Suhodoll, near Mitrovica, threw snowballs and ice-balls at the minibus that was transporting Serbs, says the driver.

The driver told Tanjug that the attack occurred yesterday about 12:30 and that this was not the first attack on the minibus that runs on daily basis on this route.

He reminded that a few days ago, he was attacked with stones and that previously similar attacks happened.

Several news websites report that the Kosovo Assembly has decided to discuss on Friday the recently-built wall in Mitrovica North. Pal Lekaj, head of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) parliamentary group, initially suggested that the wall should be discussed today but later agreed for discussions to be held on Friday. Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, said he agrees with Prime Minister Isa Mustafa’s proposal to discuss the matter on Friday.