Albania Raises Its Voice Against Vučić’s Plan for the Iber River: Water Must Not Become a Political Weapon

Albania expressed serious concern following a statement by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who spoke about the possibility of diverting the flow of the Iber River and involving Serbian specialists and institutions in assessing this scenario.

Albania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, stressed in his response:

“The diversion of a river that is part of a transboundary river basin cannot be treated as an internal matter or a decision taken unilaterally, especially when its effects directly impact the land, ecosystem, water security, supply and livelihoods of the inhabitants of a neighboring country.”

He added that international water law establishes clear rules on this issue. The principles of equitable and reasonable use of waters crossing borders, the obligation to prevent, manage and reduce transboundary harm, as well as the need for cooperation, information exchange and consultations on measures with consequences beyond national territory, are now firmly established international norms. Hoxha recalled that Serbia has been a member of the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes since 2010, thereby accepting its mechanisms for resolving disputes as well.

Emphasizing Albania’s expectations, Minister Hoxha stressed that Belgrade must fully respect its international commitments and the spirit of good-neighborly relations.

In a post on the “X” platform, Hoxha stated that “any project or intervention that could alter the flow, quantity or purity of waters connected to Kosovo must be addressed transparently, based on scientific data, with a full assessment of the transboundary impact and following consultations with the affected party.”

He warned that water resources must not be turned into a means of political pressure or punishment against another state or population. Albania, he added, firmly supports Kosovo’s right to security, sustainable development and the protection of its water reserves. “We are deeply convinced, and expect, that such matters will be resolved through dialogue, cooperation and European standards, not through threats or unilateral interventions and actions,” Hoxha concluded.