The accusations of the Kosovo Albanian “prime minister” Albin Kurti against the Serbian authorities in connection with the explosion on the Ibar-Lepenac canal are unsubstantiated and indicate the possibility of sabotage on the part of Pristina, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said.
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Kurti on Saturday night reported an explosion on a canal in northern Kosovo and Metohija, the water of which supplies two power plants. He called the incident a “terrorist attack” and blamed Serbia. No casualties or injuries were reported. In the morning, Kosovo Albanian police began searches in the municipality of Zubin Potok in the north of the region.
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“Ibar-Lepenac is a critical waterway essential for power generation, agriculture, drinking water supply and the well-being of communities. Such destructive actions are unacceptable and threaten the fragile stability we are trying to preserve. Kurti’s ethno-nationalist regime has been quick to point the finger at Serbia without evidence, we We are confident that such hasty accusations are deliberate sabotage, which potentially indicates the involvement of Albin Kurti’s regime,” Djuric wrote on the social network.
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The foreign minister, who was previously director of the office for Kosovo and Metohija under the Serbian government, noted that such baseless accusations undermine the desire for constructive dialogue and serve “only to escalate tensions in an already delicate situation.”
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“Serbia unequivocally demands accountability for those who perpetrated such a thoughtless attack. Serbia is ready, if required, to assist financially and technically in eliminating the consequences of the Ibar-Lepenac canal and to show our commitment to the well-being of all people in the region, regardless of nationality or political affiliation,” Djuric called on everyone to refrain from provocations, and international bodies to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation.
