Vucic: I am not threatening anyone, we are managing waterways within Serbia’s territory

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said today, in response to reactions in Pristina to his statement about a possible change in the course of the Ibar River, that he was not threatening anyone, but was dealing with waterways within the territory of Serbia.

“I am not threatening anyone. Why would I threaten anyone? I am managing waterways within the territory of the Republic of Serbia, in accordance with Serbia’s domestic law. Now scientists, engineers and others will sit down, see what needs to be done and come to me with a proposal on how to carry it out. I have not threatened anyone with anything. I am not Kurti, threatening people,” Vucic told reporters in Prijepolje.

He said that Serbia would address its own problem.

“We have our own interests and we are dealing with our own interests. It seems to me that we do not have anyone to put at risk either. Where Lake Gazivode is today, where it was yesterday, I do not know whether it will be tomorrow or where it will be, Serbs lived there,” Vucic stressed.

He added that “there is no great philosophy to it.”

“The state will deal with it. This is a matter of domestic legislation,” Vucic added.

Kosovo’s acting Minister of Environment, Fitore Pacolli, described Vucic’s statement as “concerning and unacceptable,” saying that “water resources cannot be used as an instrument of threat, pressure or destabilization of another state.”

Vucic said yesterday that he had invited experts from the construction sector to consider changing the course of the Ibar River.

“Soon, we have already invited experts from the construction sector and engineers, since they are harassing our people so much, we have various reasons for changing the course of the Ibar. Then we will see what the Albanians will do and how they will behave. We are a sovereign country. Sometimes we have one set of interests, sometimes another, and we will act accordingly,” Vucic said.