Water canal blast threatens Kosovo's main power supply system
A major explosion hit Kosovoʼs crucial water canal that feeds its main power stations and capitalʼs water supply. The incident sparked serious concerns about potential nation-wide power cuts
A blast damaged northern Kosovoʼs key water-supply canal last friday evening (the incident impacts two coal-fired stations that make most of the countrys electricity)
Albin Kurti‚ Kosovoʼs Prime-Minister pointed at Serbia in a tv speech: “This is not just damage to infrastructure - its a terrorist move aimed at our key systems“. The explosion hit both power-plant water supply and drinking-water delivery to many areas
Local news showed pics of water leaking from the damaged canal-wall near a bridge‚ where Faruk Mujka (head of Ibar-Lepenci water firm) said someone threw an explosive. The repair teams need to cut water flow which affects both the Kosovo Energy Corporation and Pristinas tap water
The incident happened during rising north-south issues‚ marked by these attacks:
- Hand-grenade thrown at police station
- Another grenade hit municipality building
- Increased police patrols in northern areas
The north Kosovo area (where many ethnic-Serbs dont accept Kosovo as independent since its split from Serbia about 15 years ago) stays a hot-spot for problems. Vjosa Osmani‚ Kosovoʼs President also blamed Serbian groups‚ but no proof was shown; Belgrade didnt comment
The EU ambassador in Kosovo Aivo Orav said the attack already left big parts of Kosovo without water‚ while experts rush to fix the canal before power cuts hit the country
