‘Terrorist act’, according to Kosovo, following power plant canal blast
An explosion damaged a canal supplying water to Kosovo‘s two main coal-fired power plants on Friday, leading Prime Minister Albin Kurti to accuse neighbor and rival Serbiaof being behind what he called a “terrorist act.”
“This is a criminal and terrorist attack aimed at damaging our critical infrastructure,” Kurti said at a press conference.
“The attack was carried out by professionals. We believe it comes from gangs directed by Serbia,” Kurti said, without giving more details.
Serbian officials rejected the allegations. Kosovo has meanwhile stepped up security measures around “critical” infrastructure.
Kurti on Saturday said several people had been arrested in connection with the incident.
Law enforcement officials “collected testimony and evidence, and the criminals and terrorists will have to face justice and the law,” he told journalists during a visit to the site of the explosion.
Later, Kosovar Interior Minister Xelal Svecla said eight people had been arrested and a “huge arsenal of weapons” seized as part of the investigation into an explosion.
What do we know about the blast?
The explosion occurred in Kosovo’s troubled northern region near the town of Zubin Potok. It damaged a canal that supplies water to the cooling systems at two power plants.
These plants generate most of Kosovo’s electricity.
The prime minister said if the damage was not repaired, part of Kosovo would be without electricity by Saturday morning.
While Kurti did not mention the extent of the damage, pictures published by local media showed heavy leakage from one side of the canal which also supplies drinking water.
The incident comes amid a rise in ethnic tensions between the two Balkan nations.
Earlier on Friday, Kosovo’s police announced greater security measures after hand grenades were thrown at a police station and municipality building in northern Kosovo where there is a larger Serbian population.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after nearly a decade of conflict. However, Serbia has refused to acknowledge it as a country and most Serbians living in Kosovo still view Belgrade as their capital.
Reactions to the blast
The European Union’s ambassador to Kosovo, Aivo Orav, condemned the attack, which he said was “depriving considerable parts of Kosovo from water supply.”
The US also condemned the attack. “We are monitoring the situation closely … and have offered our full support to the government of Kosovo to ensure that those responsible for this criminal attack are identified and held accountable,” the US Embassy in Kosovo’s capital of Pristina said in a statement.
