Serbian PM Says Explosion in Kosovo Was to Serve Kurti as Excuse for Entry into North

Ibar Lepenac water canal (Photo: PrtScr Al Jazeera Balkans)

The recent explosion at the Ibar-Lepenac canal was supposed to serve as an excuse for members of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) to enter into the north of Kosovo, which is predominantly populated by Serbs, Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said on Dec. 6.

Vucevic told public broadcaster RTS that the operation had been "poorly directed" by Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti, as there was no tangible evidence of Serbia's involvement in it.

"That event was supposed to serve as an excuse for Kurti to bring KSF into the north. However, KFOR rejected his request and that should be said honestly," Vucevic stressed.

Unidentified individuals planted explosives at the Ibar-Lepenac canal on Nov. 29. The canal supplies water to the north of Kosovo, Pristina and the surrounding area, as well as water from Lake Gazivode to the Kosovo Energy Corporation for cooling thermal power plants.