Vucic: What does the Ibar have to do with Albania? It is our internal matter

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told RTS, commenting on reactions in Pristina and Tirana to discussions about diverting the Ibar River, that "this is Serbia's internal matter" and that he did not know what it had to do with Albania. Commenting on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Belgrade, Vucic said the visit was beneficial to Serbia's interests.

Speaking to RTS, the Serbian president commented on why his statement about the Ibar River had prompted the Albanian side to approach Brussels, announcing that a working group would be formed.

"We have some problems around Ribarice. We will look into them, assess what the issue is, and then we will see," Vucic said.

He stressed that the Albanians had to do this in order to conceal what he described as all their crimes against the Serbian people—"arrests, harassment, mistreatment of Serbs, demolition of houses, literally beating Serbs simply because they are Serbs, everywhere."

According to him, this "terror" is being carried out together with international actors through the daily dismantling of Serbian institutions and the strengthening of institutions that, he said, have nothing to do with international law and were not established in accordance with the norms of public international law.

Commenting on KFOR's statement today that the security situation in Kosovo had improved and that it was therefore beginning to integrate the Kosovo Police into its security structure around Visoki Decani, Vucic said that he would speak this evening with Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces Milan Mojsilovic, who had spoken earlier today with KFOR Commander Ozkan Ulutas about plans to withdraw from the Ibar Bridge in Mitrovica.

"That prompted our intervention, because something like that must not be allowed. None of this is unexpected to me. Do not forget: 19 NATO countries bombed us in 1999 with one single objective—to take Kosovo and Metohija away from us," Vucic recalled.

He said they were astonished that so many years after Pristina's declaration of independence, despite their proclamations, it still had not been recognized by Serbia and many countries around the world—in fact, he said, by more countries than those that had recognized it.

"They have to finish their game, and they will continue trying to do so. Our task is to be patient, sufficiently wise, and sufficiently responsible, and not to rush headlong into anything—not because we are afraid of anyone. As you can see, I have no fear of them whatsoever, and I think the worst of the joint actions of Pristina and all international actors against the Serbian people. The absolute worst," Vucic stressed.

Asked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit, Vucic said it was beneficial to Serbia's interests, not only because Zelensky had reaffirmed Ukraine's position on respecting Serbia's territorial integrity while in Belgrade, but also because of Serbia's overall position.

Responding to reports in the German media that hosting Volodymyr Zelensky in Belgrade had been an act of courage, Vucic said he did not regard it as courage, but believed that it was important always to be guided by Serbia's interests.

"I may like and respect another flag as well, no problem at all, but my job is to fight for the Serbian tricolor. For me, there is no greater sacred symbol and nothing more important. We did a good job for Serbia, and we will continue to do a good job for Serbia," Vucic said.

He added that the visit had been positive both because of what Zelensky said in Belgrade and because it improved Serbia's position in every respect.

"A future free trade agreement with Ukraine is very important to us. We already have $500 million in trade with Ukraine. We have many different issues to discuss. And, as you saw, I had no fear whatsoever of saying with whom we are building the drone factory, or anything else. Just as I was not afraid when they came and said: 'Aha, look, there is one plane exporting weapons.' I responded to them that same day: No, it was not one; there were three planes. Let me show you the pictures. And that will continue," Vucic said.

He stressed that he is responsible for workers in Serbia, as well as for the production, import, and export of weapons.

"I am responsible for ensuring that our military is strong, that we can protect our country and protect our people. I do not think that requires any particular courage. I simply believe that it is important always to be guided by Serbia's interests," Vucic stressed.

Albanian Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha today expressed "deep concern" over Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's statement regarding the possibility of altering the course of the Ibar River, stating that water "cannot be used as an instrument of political pressure or as a means of punishing another country or population."