Weeman feasibility study could set final Kosovo- Serbia

After a few weeks, American experts from the Energy Department are expected to start the feasibility study for Weman Lake, this is the Washington Agreement for economic normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia. Albanian and Serbian experts, interviewed by Radio Free Europe, are seeing this process as determining both the final agreement for normalisation of reports between the two countries.

In the process of dialogue, Serbia had repeatedly insisted that Ujman's management be in the competence of the Serbian Majority Commission Association, which the Kosovar side had flatly rejected.

Weiman's Importance for Kosovo

This lake is considered a vital strategic point for Kosovo, as in addition, it currently supplies water -- an area of over 500 thousand Kosovars. Of Weiman seven municipalities, south and north of the river Iber; South and North Mitrovica Zvecani, Vushtrria, Glogoci, Skenderaj and a part of Pristina.

Besides them, the Kosova A thermal power plants and B, Trepca and Ferronikli depend entirely on the supply of water from this artificial lake. Also, 32 megawatts (MW) are produced in the Vallach hydropower plant.

The Iber River, which fills Weiman with water, flows into Montenegro, then crosses through Serbia's territory, enters Kosovo at an age of 82km of bed, and returns to Serbia.

Dragisa Mijaciq, director of the Institute for Territorial Economic Development, a nongovernmental organisation, in an interview with Radio Free Europe estimates Serbia has the right to claim its own in Weyman and that it can control river flow.

Serbia can at any moment build a new feather, a hydro-power plant after the Iber River passes on its territory. This would affect the emptying of the lake, which would affect the economic development of society and the overall stability of central Kosovo”.

But, University of Pristina International Public Law professor Iliriana Islami told Radio Europe free of charge that such a step would be a violation of the principles of International Public Law.

“Absolutely, Serbia cannot have such a right. It is strictly forbidden by international law because the waters that pass through the territory of two or more countries must have the amount of water as naturally. At least, it's also limited to fishing or any other, that doesn't have the (la) rich enough as it used to be in the use of these waters.

Islam explains that there is a basic rule on International Law, called the principle of trust, established according to Harmony's doctrine, defined by 1907 dealing with disagreements between the United States and Mexico regarding water exploitation.

The Agreement should be based on social equality, economic development, and trust for environmental pollution. And in other issues involving dams, thermal water use, or something else that may follow, these are always forbidden, because it is considered that any agreement is clearly defined, the cubic meter of water used by territories. They even define that neither the fauna, can be reduced by Professor Iliriana Islam.

How Was Weiman Built?
The Weyman Acumulation Project had started in the 1960s, as industrial development in Kosovo had started at the time, and at the same time, much water was needed for the functioning of thermo-electrics.

Besides, Weiman was built for irrigation agricultural land, including Kosovo Plains.

In the village of Gazivoda, on the outskirts of Zubin Potok, some of those who participated in the construction of the main feather in 1973, which is one of the highest in Europe, say that this lake had then united all ethnicities.

Pensioner Lubisa Comprovic of Zubin Potoku, who was employed by Hidrotechnica for the construction of the 107m-high feather, told Free Europe Radio that Albanians and Serbs built this lake together.

The co-operation has been excellent. Even today, my friends call me. I'll call them, I'll talk to them over the phone. Then it was completely fine until the bombings occurred. Since then, everything has gone wrong. For Gazivoda, I know what to say, but Serbs and Albanians should not argue, it should be as it used to be.

But this lake, with its area of 11,9 square kilometers, has now become a dividing point between Albanians and Serbs. Kosovo has consistently refused to open it as a topic in dialogue with Serbia with ownership and management of this lake, a quarter of which extends to Serbian territory.

Avdi Gjonbalaj, a water expert who at the time had overseen the construction work of the lake, says of Free Europe that Kosovo has paid more than $14.8m for expropriation of land for its construction, including villages on Serbia's territory.

“Objekt is formed on the territory of the Republic of Kosovo, a part has met Serbia, but the land is depleted, therefore Serbia's territory remains, but the land remains Kosovo's cadastral property. In addition, Serbia has no need for water, because there are no water users, no drinking, no irrigation, no industry said Gjonbalaj

This asset was built in 1972 with a $45 million loan from the World Bank, ratified by the then-Kosovo District Assembly and Yugoslavia's federal Convention.

Serbia insists it inherited the former Yugoslavia's debt, so it claims to be owned.

New Investments

Kosovo Assembly, as founder of company “Iber-Lepenc” defines the company as Ujman's manager and the entire monitoring system.

The company has launched investment of 11m euros for the renovation of the Ibër Canal, which brings water to Lake Weman and Pristina. A World Bank loan has been obtained for the renovation of this channel. The canal provides water for energy production, mining, industry, agriculture, and household needs.

After the 1999 war, when Serbia lost control of Kosovo's administration, in 2002 it had established a parallel Serbian company, naming “Ibar”, for managing Lake Weyman. Authorities in Pristina say they have no contact with this facility.

Dragisa Mijaciq thinks there is some kind of co-operation, however.

What's interesting is that all the revenues from water distribution are received by the “company Iber-Lepenc” On the other hand, all works at feather and hydropower installations are paid by the Republic of Serbia through the company “Ibar”- Mijaciq told Radio Free Europe.

Avdullah Nishori, led the company “Iber-Lepenc” from 2005 to 2009 denies having been behind communication with this parallel structure.

I'm talking about the time I was director of this company, there was no collaboration with this organisation (Ibar). Part of the company's workers in the north received double salaries from this organisation, while the old workers' share mostly received salaries from “Iber-Lepenci” He said Nishori for Radio Free Europe

Nishori says Iber-Lepenci's Serbian workers respond to the company that has centred in Pristina:

There's more than enough of it. It operates the infrastructure of the large waterman dam, the Pridvorica infrastructure and the hydro power plant. To this day they are workers of Iber Lepentz, and they receive wages of “Iber-Lepencius”- explains Nishori.

Currently, the company Iber-Lepenci has 27 employees in Weyman alone.

Weiman-sinment of north-south Interdependence
Weyman Lake, which has turned into political war, has vital importance in the north and south of the country. In Shipol, on the outskirts of South Mitrovica, is the drinking water processing factory, which supplies drinking water to northern Mitrovica and Zvecanin.

Dragisa Mijaciq expects that the results of the feasibility for Weyman by Americans, in fact, will bring the final agreement on normalising reports between Kosovo and Serbia.

It also mentions the US's purpose for building a new thermal power plant, where water safety is central.

“at (SHBA) will not allow the Gazivoda issue and management of this strategic resource to remain unresolved, before entering such a large investment. Therefore, there will be pressure from the American side to resolve the issue of managing this resources, in one way or another, whether through privatisation, any joint government model or through concession. But, I think this case will be resolved immediately”.

But, Avdi Gjonbalaj, who has long researched all the documentation about Wyman archives, fears that this study is behind it another agenda.

Serbia's “Serbia is only aiming to put a hand in its pocket, and my deep conviction is that this is an attempt to divide the northern part. They agree to supply Kosovo, but at payment. We manage the object, they do some facilities, but I understand that economic, technical reasons are not. We have feasibility, nothing can improve” says Johnbalaj

Weeman, Gazivoda or Trump?

According to the warnings, the new feasibility study for Weiman will be able to close very quickly. But, besides epilogue, it remains unclear whether this lake will continue to be called Weiman for Albanians, Gazivoda for Serbs, or will have the new joint appointment, “Lake Trump”.

This started out as a joke, but took serious shape, when it was publicly supported by Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti