Serbs protest announced opening of Kosovska Mitrovica bridge

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - Several thousand Kosovo-Metohija Serbs held a peaceful protest in the north of Kosovska Mitrovica on Wednesday over Pristina's announcement the town's main bridge on the Ibar River would be opened to traffic.

The protesters, who gathered in a square near the bridge, carried Serbian flags and banners reading "If Kurti opens the bridge, Kfor and the Quint will be responsible for everything", "We want Kfor to protect us", "We have warned you", "Kurti, stop abolishing Serbian institutions and establish a Community of Serb Municipalities," "Kfor has 1244 reasons not to open the bridge" and "We will not move away from here at any cost".

The Post of Serbia director for Kosovo-Metohija, Ivan Milojevic - who came to the rally immediately after a police interrogation - said that, in case the bridge was opened, the Serbs could expect only expulsion.

"They closed the post offices in the north (of Kosovo-Metohija) and we expect they will do the same in the south, too. We expect that because we know that is the only thing we can expect from them. They could not be happier if we were to give up by ourselves, but we have no right to do that because of our successors, our descendants, and because of our hope in our ability to persevere and overcome a difficult time like this," Milojevic said.

He said statements by international officials following the closure of the post offices were an "insult to the souls and hearts" of Serbs.

"Without their support, they (Pristina) could not even think about doing that," Milojevic added.

University of Kosovska Mitrovica professor Luka Jovanovic said the opening of the bridge must not be allowed to happen as it was another attempt of ethnic cleansing of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija and of moving the identity boundary.

"We must not remain silent - if we remain silent today and in the days to come, they will come to our schools - where our children are studying the Serbian language - to hospitals, they will usurp our churches and monasteries," Jovanovic said.

In the wake of the announcement the bridge would be opened, as well as due to other daily escalatory moves by Pristina, Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija are concerned over their security and expect Kfor to protect them.