Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has warned that Serbia could intervene to change the course of the Ibër River at a time of heightened tensions between Belgrade and Pristina. He presented the possibility as a response to the way Kosovo’s authorities are, according to him, treating the Serb community.
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Speaking to reporters on Sunday while visiting work on the Old Railway Bridge in Belgrade, Vučić said specialists in the relevant fields had already been brought in to examine the issue.
“We have already invited experts who deal with this issue, the construction sector, engineers and others. Since they are mistreating our people so much, let’s see—we have various reasons for changing the course of the Ibër—and then we will see what the Albanians do and how they behave,” Vučić said.
According to Serbian media reports, the Serbian president also said: “I should inform you that we have already invited experts who deal with this, the construction sector, engineers and everyone else. They are mistreating our people so much. Let’s see what the Albanians do and how they behave after this action.”
Vučić claims that since 1985 “there has been an idea to change the course” of the Ibër in order to meet the needs of people living in towns near the lake. According to him, such a move, which could be undertaken through a decision by the Serbian government, would cause Ujman Lake, which supplies Kosovo, to dry up.
However, the Serbian president did not clarify the nature of the intervention under consideration or whether the idea would be turned into a concrete implementation plan. His warning has raised concerns about the potential consequences for one of the main water resources linked to Kosovo.
The Ibër River is of strategic importance to Kosovo. Ujman Lake, formed by a dam built across the river, is one of the main sources of water for areas of Kosovo and is also used to generate electricity.
Changing the river’s course could affect both the water supply and the operation of energy infrastructure. Consequently, such a political confrontation could develop into a problem with a direct humanitarian and economic impact.
