A statement by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić about the possibility of changing the course of the Ibar River has opened a new debate between Kosovo and Serbia, but this time the clash has extended to Tirana.
Belgrade’s idea of interfering in the river’s flow, brought back to attention by Vučić on August 9, has brought reactions from Pristina, Tirana, but not only. The European Union and the United States of America reacted as well.
How the debate over Ibri began
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that Serbia is considering the possibility of changing the course of the Ibar River and that experts have been engaged on this issue.
The idea is not new. Vučić himself had spoken about such a project in 2024, saying that the idea dates back to 1985. At the time, he had spoken out against it, arguing that he did not want nature to be used for political purposes.
But this time, the Serbian president declared that the issue was being reconsidered. The statement caused immediate reactions in Kosovo, where the idea was considered a threat to the country’s water resources and security.
At the center of concerns is the Ujman/Gazivoda water system, which is directly connected to the Ibar River and is of great importance for water supply, agriculture, energy, and the functioning of some of Kosovo’s industrial capacities.
Tirana enters the debate
After reactions from Pristina, official Tirana also became involved in the issue.
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, stated that water cannot be used as an instrument of political pressure or as a means of punishing another country or population.
But Hoxha’s statement immediately brought a reaction from Belgrade.
Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric accused Tirana of interfering in an issue that Serbia considers internal.
“ Tirana’s decision to get involved in this matter, ignoring the systematic pressure on the Serbian population and attacks on Serbian property, inevitably raises questions about the political motives behind its intervention ,” Djuric wrote in X.
“The Ibri flows according to geography, not ‘political folklore'”
Prime Minister Edi Rama also got involved in the diplomatic clash. In response, he described Belgrade’s stance as “political folklore.”
“The Ibar River, completely unaware of all our historical cartographies, will continue to flow according to geography and not according to folklore,” declared the prime minister.
The Council of Albanian Ambassadors also became part of the debate , which considered the idea of using water resources as an instrument of pressure on Kosovo alarming.
According to the MTEF, any intervention that causes transboundary consequences must be dealt with in accordance with the principles of international law, through cooperation, notification and prior consultation.
Vučić: What connection does the Ibri have with Albania?
The Serbian president was quick to respond to the reactions from Tirana.
In an interview with RTS, Vučić described the Ibar issue as an internal issue of Serbia and questioned Albania’s involvement.
” This is our internal matter. I don’t know what connection Ibri has with Albania,” said the Serbian president.
Thus, a debate that initially opened between Belgrade and Pristina turned into another diplomatic front between Serbia and Albania.
The clash goes to the EU and the US
The issue did not remain only between Tirana, Pristina and Belgrade.
The European Union reacted by warning that statements about possible changes in the flow of rivers do not contribute to the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
The EU stressed that such actions should be avoided and that dialogue remains the path to resolving issues between the two countries.
The US State Department also stated that peace and stability in the Western Balkans are US priorities and that the normalization of Kosovo-Serbia relations is a necessary part of this process.
Vucic attacks the EU
The European reaction brought another escalation of the Serbian president’s rhetoric.
Vučić accused the European Commission of immediately reacting to his statement on Ibri, while, according to him, it has not reacted to issues that Serbia considers problems for the Serbian community in Kosovo.
He mentioned the failure to form the Association of Serb Municipalities, the arrests and allegations of mistreatment of Serbs in Kosovo.
In a strong statement, Vučić accused the EU of protecting its “Albanian servants.”
The Serbian president also said that the possible change in the course of the Ibar is not a project that can be implemented immediately and that a working group still needs to be created and experts engaged.
Why is Ibri so important for Kosovo?
The Ibar River is about 270 kilometers long. It originates in Montenegro, passes through Serbia, and enters the territory of Kosovo, before returning to Serbia.
In Kosovo, the river connects to the artificial lake of Ujman, one of the country’s strategic water resources. About two-thirds of the lake is located in Kosovo’s territory.
The Iber-Lepenc system is important for the water supply of several municipalities, the irrigation of agricultural lands, and the cooling of thermal power plants in Obiliq.
This is precisely what makes any intervention in the course of the Ibar an issue that could have consequences beyond the territory of Serbia.
An old idea that returns in a new political moment
The August controversy is not a new story. After the November 2024 explosion that damaged the Iber-Lepenc canal in Zubin Potok, Vučić had stated that the idea of changing the course of the Iber had existed since 1985.
But what makes the current situation more sensitive is the political context in which this idea is being revived.
Kosovo-Serbia relations continue to be tense, while issues of security, energy, water and the status of the Serbian community remain at the center of political clashes. /BoldNews.al