Wrote: Fatbardh Dema
It was alleged that KFOR Commander Ozkan Ulutas declared that the Ibar Bridge is in Kosovo and that it should be opened without asking anyone.
This post was published yesterday (August 14) on Facebook by pages such as, "Me Albin Kurti", "Informohu24" and "Atdheu Lajm".
The truth?
After fact-checking conducted by hibrid.info, it has been confirmed that this claim made by the aforementioned sites is false.
Links to the post published on Facebook by the pages "Me Albin Kurtin", "Informohu24h" and "Atdheu Lajm":
After research conducted through online search engines, hibrid.info has not found published in any credible source the claim that Ulutas said that the Ibar Bridge is in Kosovo and that it should be opened without asking anyone, as claimed by the aforementioned sites. (see here)
context
On August 13, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, received the Commander of KFOR, Özkan Ulutas, in a meeting. One of the topics discussed was the opening of the main bridge over the Ibar River in Mitrovica.
Excerpt from the press release issued by the official website of the Government of Kosovo:
This meeting was held in the context of intensive consultations and continuous coordination. During it, cooperation between the Government, security institutions and the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, was discussed, in the service of maintaining security and peace in the country.
Among the central topics was the opening of the main bridge over the Ibar River in Mitrovica as a right, necessary and beneficial thing. Prime Minister Kurti informed the KFOR commander about the general works being carried out on the main bridge over the Ibar River and the results of the preliminary report on the assessment of the bridge's sustainability, submitted by the economic operator to the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure. In the framework of the necessary steps taken by the Government for the opening of the bridge, he also recalled the public meeting with the citizens of North Mitrovica, organized on August 8 by the municipality of North Mitrovica, where citizens from the Serbian community, non-governmental organizations and representatives from the central and local levels, as well as KFOR and EULEX, were present. (see here)
Excerpt from the KFOR press release issued to the media on August 13:
KFOR also maintains a fixed presence at the main bridge over the Ibër/Ibër River in Mitrovica and conducts regular patrols in the surrounding areas. We reaffirm that any decision regarding the Ibër/Ibër Bridge should be taken through political dialogue and in a coordinated manner. In this regard, we continue to fully support the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.
It is essential that all actors refrain from unilateral statements and actions that could create tensions. This is key to sustainable security throughout Kosovo – for the benefit of all people and communities – and to regional stability.
Analyze:
The claim by several Facebook pages that KFOR Commander Ozkan Ulutas has stated that the Ibar Bridge is in Kosovo and that it should be opened without asking anyone is false.
After research conducted by hibrid.info, such a statement from Ulutas has not been found published in any credible source.
KFOR, through a press release issued on August 13, regarding this issue, stated that any decision regarding the bridge over the Ibar River should be made through political dialogue and in a coordinated manner.
Based on its work methodology, hibrid.info assesses the claim published by several Facebook pages as "Fake News".
Reasoning:
The “Fake News” rating is given to informational content that is entirely fabricated or that contains factually incorrect claims or information. Content that is rated as fake news can be defined as having been created and distributed with the intent to misinform the public, i.e., to present a claim that is completely false as fact.