Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani warned that opening the bridge for traffic in Mitrovica without coordination with NATO risks a conflict between the police and American troops, Reuters reported.
Prime Minister Aljbin Kurti's government is nearing the end of preparations to open the bridge, which has been mostly closed to traffic since the end of the Kosovo war in 1999, although it is open to pedestrians.
The bridge has seen some of the worst clashes between ethnic Albanians and Serbs, who make up the majority in northern Kosovo. Its opening would be a symbolic move because three other bridges already connect the city across the river, according to Reuters.
"Is it in the interest of Kosovo to have a conflict between our police and American soldiers? I don't believe there is a single Albanian who agrees with that," Osmani told reporters yesterday.
Her comments came after the United States, the European Union and NATO warned Kurti that the plan could spark ethnic violence, forcing NATO to intervene to keep the peace.
"We have no reason to have conflicts with our allies. They saved us ... and they are here with us to protect our sovereignty," said Osmani.
The President of Kosovo assessed that the statements of European officials about the opening of the bridge on the Ibar are "racist" and that it should not be accepted that the issue of the bridge should be discussed in Brussels, Beta reported.
Local media reported that the opening could happen yesterday, but it did not happen until the afternoon and the workers were still painting the bridge, Reuters reported.
The NATO mission in Kosovo said this week that it would not "hesitate to act in response to any significant development in the security situation".
A senior NATO official told Reuters that one option is to block the bridge with soldiers and armored vehicles if the government tries to open it.
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