Mogherini praises Kosovo, Serbian leaders for demolishing Mitrovica wall
The EU high representative for Foreign Policy Federica Mogherini praised Kosovo and Serbian leaders on Sunday for the demonstrated courage and vision “by taking down walls and focusing on building bridges”.
“This is very much the spirit of the EU-facilitated Dialogue for normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina,” she said in a statement published the very same day that authorities were demolishing a wall separating Albanian and Serbian neighborhoods in Mitrovica city, northern Kosovo.
“This will contribute to the freedom of movement, people to people contacts and ultimately reconciliation, and will benefit all citizens of North and South Mitrovica,” Mogherini said.
On Saturday, Kosovo government announced the parties comprising by the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Ferat Shala and Mayor of Mitrovica North, Goran Rakic, agreed to resolve the issue which relates to the construction of the wall in Northern Mitrovica. The agreement was reached under the facilitation of the Office of the EU and the Embassy of the United States.
“The opening of the revitalized Mitrovica Bridge and the completion of the pedestrianised King Petar Street in the nearest future will be an important achievement in the implementation of the agreements reached in the Dialogue,” Mogherini said.
Mogherrini said that the progress on normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is more than ever of utmost importance to preserve peace and stability between the two sides and in the region; it is also crucial for advancing of both sides towards European Union.
She said the EU will continue its facilitation with strong engagement and I am looking forward to continuing the Dialogue with the leaders of both sides.
The tension went high in Kosovo at the end of 2016, when Serbian Mitrovica mayor started building a wall at the Ibri Bridge which divides two ethnicities in the city. Kosovo President Hashim Thaci had vowed to destroy the wall in February, causing reaction in Belgrade./tvklan.al