Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denounced on Sunday a “hybrid attack” against Serbia, accused the day before by Kosovar leaders of having “orchestrated” an attack against a water canal crucial for Kosovo, again denying any involvement.
“Yesterday, it was an attempted hybrid attack, big and fierce, which took place against our country,” Mr. Vucic declared at a press conference, adding that Serbia had “no links” with the explosion and that she was conducting her own investigation.
“We want to contribute (to the investigation). There is no greater interest for Serbia than to learn the truth,” Vucic said in Belgrade.
A crucial canal for supplying drinking water and electricity to thousands of Kosovar homes was damaged by an explosion on Friday evening near Zubin Potok, in the northwest of Kosovo, a region bordering Serbia and mainly populated by Serbs.
Several tens of kilometers long, it has its source in the artificial lake of Gazivode (north-west) and supplies the cooling circuits of two thermal power plants in the region of the Kosovar capital, Pristina.
These plants produce more than 90% of Kosovo's electricity needs and their shutdown would plunge the country almost entirely into darkness.
Water supply was restored by a “temporary” solution during the night from Friday to Saturday, and the attack had no impact on electricity production, but disrupted the supply of drinking water. .
The “attack” was condemned on Sunday by Washington, with the spokesperson for the US State Department, Matthew Miller, assuring in a message on X that he will support efforts to “find and punish those responsible”.
The head of diplomacy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, denounced on Saturday “a terrorist attack” and “a despicable act of sabotage against the essential civilian infrastructure of Kosovo”.
The Kosovo government denounced “the worst attack on infrastructure” since the end of the war against Belgrade (1998-1999).
“Professional organizations specializing in this type of terrorist attacks are behind all this. Serbia is the only entity with the capacity, means and interest to commit such acts,” Prime Minister Albin Kurti accused on Saturday.
– “Suspicions” –
“We have no connection with this,” the Serbian president retorted on Sunday.
“I am not going to say today that the attack was ordered by Kurti (…). We are also carrying out our own investigation,” added Mr. Vucic.
According to him, the Serbian authorities have “certain suspicions” about the identity of the sponsor and “certain elements about a possible author” of the attack.
Without further specifying this accusation, the Serbian leader denounced a “hybrid attack”. Hybrid strategies consist in particular of mobilizing, in peacetime, indirect means, such as cyberattacks, disinformation or sabotage.
Kosovar Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla announced on Saturday evening the arrest of eight suspects, suspected of having participated in “criminal and terrorist activities”.
The head of the Serbian government office responsible for Kosovo, Petar Petkovic, indicated on Sunday morning that only “two people” were still in detention.
The director of the Kosovar police, Gazmend Hoxha, for his part indicated that “200 military uniforms, 6 grenade launchers, two rifles, a pistol, masks and knives” were seized by the police.
Kosovo law enforcement officers have been deployed since the attack around “essential installations”, including bridges, transformers, antennas, lakes and canals, the government said.
Relations between Belgrade and Pristina have remained difficult since the end of the war. A former Serbian province, Kosovo proclaimed its independence in 2008, never recognized by Belgrade.
Tensions regularly spike, particularly in northern Kosovo where a large Serb community lives.
Friday's attack follows a series of incidents in the north, including grenades thrown at a public building and a police station days earlier, and comes ahead of legislative elections due to be held on 9 FEBRUARY.
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