TIRANA, August 11 – Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha has responded to Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Duric over the dispute surrounding the Ibër River. Duric said Albania had no hydrological basis to comment on Serbia’s management of its water resources. Hoxha said Albania would react if someone threatened Serbia’s water supply.
In a Facebook post, Hoxha said water should not serve as an instrument of pressure or punishment. He said borders should define jurisdictions. They should not divide responsibility for peace and cooperation. Hoxha acknowledged that the Ibër does not flow through Albania. However, he said Albania can still respond to threats that could harm peaceful coexistence in the region.
Hoxha said neighbours should promote dialogue, trust and practical cooperation. He argued that water does not follow political borders. He added that Albania would speak out if someone threatened to cut Serbia’s water supply. He said Albania would do so even if the water did not reach Albanian territory.
Meanwhile, Hoxha rejected references to a “Greater Albania”. He said Albania has no territorial ambitions. He stressed that Albania wants the entire region to join the European Union. Hoxha said this includes Kosova, Serbia and Albania. He called for more Europe and less mythology. He also urged the region to view its past through the perspective of its future.
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