Vučić protests Ibar bridge opening and suggests diverting river flow

Ibar River bridge Mitrovica KFOR withdrawal Aleksandar Vučić Ratko Mladić

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has announced plans to write to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to protest the planned opening of the main bridge over the Ibar River in Mitrovica to vehicle traffic. The European Union has stated that the necessary conditions for opening the bridge have been met, following a 2014 agreement. Vučić criticized the KFOR commander, General Ozkan Ulutas, and described the move as a “civilizational shame.”

In response to tensions in Kosovo, Vučić also suggested the possibility of diverting the course of the Ibar River, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from experts. Hydrology expert Jovan Despotović warned that such a project would be “impossible” to execute quickly and could cause an ecological catastrophe.

Separately, Vučić addressed the detention of war crimes convict Ratko Mladić in The Hague. He questioned the humanitarian grounds for Mladić's continued imprisonment, citing his declining health. However, the President of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, Graciela Gatti Santana, has denied requests to release Mladić for medical treatment in Serbia.

Entities

Aleksandar Vučić · European Union · Ibër River · KFOR · Mark Rutte · Mitrovica · NATO · Ratko Mladić

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Vučić accused KFOR Commander General Ozkan Ulutas of being responsible for the plan to open the bridge. lideri.mk · koha.mk · orainfo.net
[○ 1 SOURCE] The decision to open the bridge was made without the approval of North Mitrovica Mayor Millan Radojevic. koha.mk
[● 2 SOURCES] The European Union confirmed that conditions have been met to open the main bridge over the Ibër River in Mitrovica to vehicle traffic. lideri.mk · orainfo.net
[● 3 SOURCES] Aleksandar Vučić intends to write a letter to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. lideri.mk · koha.mk · orainfo.net
[○ 1 SOURCE] Serbian General Staff Chief Millan Mojsilovic had a tense conversation with the KFOR commander. koha.mk
[● 3 SOURCES] Vučić is requesting that the Ibër River bridge not be opened to traffic. lideri.mk · koha.mk · orainfo.net
[● 5 SOURCES] President Vučić is considering the possibility of diverting the flow of the Ibër River as a response to developments in Kosovo. www.illyria.com · koha.mk · lajmi.net · telegrafi.com · www.vecernji.hr
[● 2 SOURCES] Serbia has announced the formation of a working group of engineers to study the feasibility of diverting the Ibër River. lajmi.net · telegrafi.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Hydrology expert Jovan Despotović described the plan to divert the Ibar River as an impossible and ecologically dangerous undertaking. www.vecernji.hr · www.illyria.com · lajmi.net · telegrafi.com
[● 4 SOURCES] The European Union confirmed that conditions have been met to open the main bridge over the Ibar River in Mitrovica to traffic. rtv-hb.com · bigportal.ba · lideri.mk · orainfo.net
[DISPUTED] The President of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals denied requests to release Ratko Mladić for medical treatment in Serbia. sandzacke.rs · www.072info.com · www.dnevno.hr
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Mayor of North Mitrovica, Milan Radojević, stated that KFOR's withdrawal could endanger the Serbian community by leaving the bridge to the Kosovo police. www.dan.co.me