Rama: The Ibar will continue to flow in accordance with geography, not political folklore

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić's statement that Serbia could consider changing the course of the Ibar River, which would leave Kosovo without water supply, saying that the Ibar, "completely unaware of all our historical cartography," will continue to flow in accordance with geography, not political folklore.

In a post on the social network "Iks", Rama addressed the controversy that has been going on in recent days regarding the Ibar River bed, saying that the topic has moved from "hydrology to international law."

"A very interesting summer exchange between our foreign ministers. Although I expected an answer about the Ibar, somehow we got from hydrology to international law, made a mandatory stop at 'Greater Albania', passed through 'Kosovo and Metohija' and finally arrived at the already well-known museum of Serbian historical fears," Rama wrote.

The Ibar River was dammed on the territory of Kosovo, creating the artificial lake Gazivode, near which the Pristina authorities have been demolishing Serbian houses, cottages and hotels in recent days, N1 reminds.

The electricity produced by the hydroelectric power plant on Lake Gazivode supplies a significant part of Kosovo, and the Ibar-Lepenc water system serves to supply water to the local population.

Rama also added that Albania has no claims to Serbian territory, and that they do not "need a 'Greater Albania' to stand by Kosovo."

"Kosovo is a state unto itself. Albanians from Kosovo are exactly that: Albanians from Kosovo. They have their own Republic, their own institutions, and the right to determine their own future. We will always support that right," the Albanian Prime Minister stated.

He added that "Serbia has lost Kosovo" and that it has therefore also lost the natural resources found in Kosovo.

"Repeating that it did not happen may turn defeat into victory in the geography of political imagination, but unfortunately the maps are less willing to adapt. The territory of the Republic of Kosovo is not the territory of Serbia, and the natural resources located on it are not the resources of the Republic of Serbia. Our Serbian friends know this very well, including every time we sit down together at European tables," Rama said.

The Albanian Prime Minister stressed that the Ibar is a transboundary water system and that Serbia is completely free to manage the resources within its jurisdiction, but that "rivers have the unfortunate habit of following geography, not diplomatic messages."

He also mentioned the position of Serbs in Kosovo and the danger that such decisions could endanger them.

"The position of the Serbian community in Kosovo was also mentioned. Its rights are important. Its security is important. Its property, language, cultural and religious heritage must be protected. Albania has never had a problem saying that, because it is simply what a democratic state owes its citizens," Rama said on "Iks" and called for the acceptance of the borders that already exist.

"But there is one small prerequisite for borders to become less important: accepting those that already exist. The genius of the European project was precisely that it separated national belonging from territorial claims," ​​he added.

He also said that "Albania respects Serbia", but that "good neighborly relations cannot mean that every neighbor of Serbia is asked to permanently move to the Serbian version of history".

"The Balkans have already paid too high a price, in blood and lost time, for this kind of adjustment. And in the meantime, the Ibar, completely oblivious to all our historical cartography, will continue to flow according to geography, not political folklore," Rama concluded.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić previously stated that the state is considering changing the watercourse of the Ibar River on its territory, due to the attitude of the Pristina authorities towards the Serbian people in Kosovo.

"We have already invited experts who deal with this, the construction sector, engineers and others, since they are already mistreating our people so much, to see - we have different reasons for changing the Ibar watercourse, so we will see what the Albanians will do and how they will behave," Vučić told reporters during a tour of the works on the Old Railway Bridge in Belgrade.