Kosovo and Serbia blame each other after 'attack' on crucial energy sector canal

An explosion damaged a vital canal for two thermal power plants in Kosovo on Friday, threatening its energy supplies, Kosovo's prime minister said. Albin Kurti condemned a “attack” which he attributed to Serbia. “This is a criminal and terrorist attack aimed at destroying our critical infrastructure”he declared during a press conference called late. “The attack was carried out by professionals. We believe it came from Serbian-led gangs”he added.

However, this Saturday morning, Serbia condemned “attack with the greatest firmness” against the Ibar-Lepenac canal, denouncing a “unacceptable act of sabotage”. “We call on all parties to resist provocations and to prioritize dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation”wrote on X the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Djuric, while implying that the “régime” of the Kosovar Prime Minister, who accused Serbia of being behind the attack, could be “potentially involved”.

The canal explosion occurred near the northern town of Zubin Potok and connects Serbian-majority northern Kosovo to the capital Pristina, also partially supplied with drinking water by this canal. The canal supplies water to two coal-fired power plants for their cooling systems and is Kosovo's main source of electricity. If the damage is not repaired, part of Kosovo risks being deprived of electricity as of this Saturday morning, estimated the Prime Minister, who did not give details on the extent of the damage suffered by the canal.

The United States, through its embassy in Pristina, strongly condemned “attack on critical infrastructure in Kosovo”. “We are monitoring the situation closely…and we have offered our full support to the government of Kosovo to ensure that those responsible for this criminal attack are identified and held to account.”continues the embassy on Facebook.

An explosion against a backdrop of tensions with Serbia

Friday's attack follows a series of violent incidents in northern Kosovo, where Serbs are the majority, including grenades thrown at a municipal building and a police station earlier this week.

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Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have persisted since the war between Serbian forces and Kosovars in the late 1990s. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, a decision that Serbia refuses to recognize, encouraging Serbs to reject their loyalty to Pristina. Serbia has maintained so-called public institutions in the Serbian areas of Kosovo. “parallels”schools or hospitals. But the recent dismantling of these institutions by the government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti has shaken this system and reignited tensions.