New Bridge Brings New Beginnings in Kosovo
“Row, row your boat,” sang children from a local kindergarten at the Viti/Vitina town bridge dedication on May 16, 2008. The bridge, a joint project of USAID, KFOR, Viti/Vitina municipality and Developing Together, was dedicated by Douglas Menarchik, USAID Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia, Col. Michael Selby, Chief of State of KFOR’s Multi-national Task Force (East), Viti/Vitina Mayor Nexhmedin Arifi and Sasa Marinkovic, Acting Deputy Mayor and Municipal Community Officer, as they cut the inaugural ribbon to officially open the bridge.
“As we stand on this new bridge we think of future – and these children are the future of Kosovo,” Menarchik said. “USAID applauds your community’s contributions to the planning and support of this project to improve conditions in your municipality. USAID will continue to be a strong partner with you for a brighter future for all Kosovo.“
The new stone bridge, constructed for 34,000 euro, replaced a deteriorating wooden bridge which connected one neighborhood to the main market and center of town. In cooperation with KFOR troops, the community and municipality identified a new bridge as a priority project, and submitted the project request to USAID.
The Viti/Vitina bridge project is part of the Kosovo Communities Project, conducted with Developing Together, to help communities improve living conditions. NATO’s KFOR troops help many communities identify projects. This project, as well as two other USAID-supported initiatives, helps improve living conditions across Kosovo, especially working with KFOR and Kosovo Serb and other communities.
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(From left) Col. Michael Selby, Chief of Staff of NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) Multi-National Task Force (East) and Dr. Douglas Menarchik, USAID Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia, shook hands and talked with the schoolchildren attending the May 16 dedication ceremony for the new bridge in the town of Viti/Vitina, Kosovo.
Photo Credit: Arianit Mulaku, U.S. Embassy Pristina |
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