Vuçiç responds to reactions from Tirana and Pristina: The Ibar is Serbia’s internal matter

Serbian President Aleksandar Vuçiç has dismissed as unfounded the reactions from Pristina and Albania following his statements regarding the alteration of the course of the Ibar River.

During an interview with RTS, the head of the Serbian state said that the issue of the Ibar concerns Serbia alone.

“This is our internal matter. I do not know what connection the Ibar has with Albania,” Vuçiç said.

Referring to the situation near the village of Ribariç, he said that the authorities would examine the case to clarify what it involved.

Vuçiç’s position follows the reaction from Kosovo’s Albanian side to proposals to intervene in or redirect the course of the Ibar River. The latter has warned that the issue will be addressed in Brussels.

The Serbian president also accused the authorities in Kosovo of exerting pressure on and mistreating Serbs.

“They must do this to cover up all their crimes against the Serbian people—the arrests, mistreatment and harassment of Serbs, the demolition of homes and the beating of Serbs simply because they are Serbs,” he said.

In the same interview, Vuçiç also addressed the visit of the Ukrainian president to Serbia, which he described as beneficial to the country’s interests.