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KOSOVO: A BRIDGE FOR PEOPLE

An agreement was signed between the Deçan/Decani mayor and the Visoki Decani monastery for the construction of a "Bailey" bridge.

Pec/Peja, Kosovo. An agreement for the construction of a "Bailey” bridge near "Visoki Decani" monastery was signed this morning at Camp Villaggio Italia between the mayor of Deçan/Dečani, Rasim Selmanaj, and the abbot Father Sava Janic.

The agreement, strongly backed by the Commander of KFOR, Major General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, will solve operational problems, allowing KFOR soldiers to protect the monastery, to cross safely and rapidly the nearby river. The Orthodox Monastery of Deçan/Dečani is the only place in Kosovo where KFOR is still first responder, its security is provided by Italian led Multinational Battle Group West.

It is indeed an international project, the bridge will be donated by Italian Army, and the first parts are moving today. UNMIK will finance the purchase of the construction material, Kosovo Security Forces engineers will build the bridge under Italian military engineers mentoring. The bridge which will have a total length of 27 meters, will be completed by the end of July.

Besides operational implications, the bridge will facilitate people access to the natural area adjacent to the monastery, encouraging its use and a possible economic development. Today's agreement is a further proof of the close relationship between Italy and the Italian Army and the Deçan/Dečani Monastery but at the same time it is the confirmation of the important role of KFOR in the normalization of relations between the religious community and the Citizenship of Deçan/Dečani, mostly ethnic Albanian.