After the European Union, the United States has also reacted to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s statements about the possibility of changing the course of the Ibar River.
In a statement to Radio Free Europe, a spokesperson for the US State Department stressed that stability in the Western Balkans remains one of the priorities of US policy.
“The normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is a necessary part of this process,” the State Department spokesperson said.
The American reaction comes after the European Union also expressed concern about the Serbian president’s statements. EU spokeswoman Anita Hipper stated earlier that the statements related to changing the course of the Ibar River do not help the process of normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
Vučić stated on August 9 that Serbian authorities are examining, in cooperation with experts, the possibility of changing the course of the Ibar.
The Serbian president linked this statement to allegations of the demolition of houses and villas of Serbian residents near Lake Ujman, in northern Kosovo.
The statements have sparked reactions in Pristina and Tirana, while the issue of the Ibar River has become another point of contention between Kosovo and Serbia.