Petkovic: Canal destruction is Kurti's new propaganda and an alibi to continue the persecution of Serbs and attacks on Belgrade

The Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, issued a statement describing the destruction of a section of the Ibar-Lepenac canal that occurred last night in the village of Varage as an unacceptable and intolerable act that directly threatens the basic needs of the Serbian people, who already live under difficult conditions, especially in northern Kosovo.

Petkovic emphasized that the canal’s destruction has jeopardized water supply in municipalities in northern Kosovo, endangered lives in the region, and disrupted normal electricity supply.

“This act is a direct attack on the peace that Belgrade has consistently advocated for. Such unacceptable damage serves as an alibi for Kurti to continue persecuting Serbs and attacking Belgrade. It was only a matter of time before Kurti resorted to new propaganda to strengthen his position in the pre-election campaign. To advance his occupation of the north, Kurti needed a pretext to send new contingents of Albanian police forces to the north and to continue the militarization and fortification of northern Kosovo and Metohija,” Petkovic stated.

The director added that in recent days, through violence and unilateral actions contrary to all Brussels agreements, Kurti has escalated tensions in the north. These actions include laying the cornerstone for new police bases and staging provocations during the Albanian flag day celebrations, all aimed at accelerating the persecution of Serbs.

“This kind of canal destruction, I emphasize, is absolutely not in the interest of the Serbian people or Belgrade, which built the regional water system to ensure normal water supply and worked hard in Brussels to secure an energy agreement for uninterrupted electricity supply. It is evident that the destruction of the canal harms Belgrade and the Serbian people. Therefore, I strongly condemn this reckless act and call on EULEX and KFOR to urgently investigate the causes of the canal’s destruction, as this is the only way to uncover the truth. We stand ready to assist in repairing the damage and restoring normal water supply. We call on Serbs not to fall for provocations clearly aimed at further destabilizing Kosovo and Metohija. Belgrade is in direct contact with Miroslav Lajcak, KFOR, and the international community to uncover the full truth and prevent further crises and instability in northern Kosovo and Metohija,” Petkovic concluded.