Nothing concrete yet for the Wiman feasibility study

At the Ministry of Economy and Environment in the Government of Kosovo, they confirmed to Radio Free Europe that this process has not yet been launched.

For the time being, Minister Blerim Kuci has been handed to the US Energy Department Secretary, a letter indicating this study, in which experts from this department” will participate, the Ministry of Economy and Environment response reported.

The Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Economy and Environment have pledged to ensure the necessary co-operation for the US Department of Energy and other units of the American Government, establishing the working group for feasibility research.

“This group is currently in the process of consolidation”, declared from the Office for Communication with the Ministry of Economy and Environment public without providing additional details.

On October 20th, a day after the Kosovo government approved the Washington Agreement implementation Plan, an American delegation led by US Deputy Assistant Energy Secretary Matthew Zais in Kosovo remained, where one of the key issues of negotiations was the study of feasibility for Wyman.

The U.S. delegation included two experts, one of energy and one of the waters, both from the North West Pacific National Laboratory near Seattle.

In an interview for Voice of America, Zais said the purpose of the visit was to collect information and technical assessments for Lake Weyman.

And in principle, to understand the possibilities and benefits Kosovo may have from using the lake and all that the lake offers, be it electricity or water. We're here in technical capacity and this is determined with the economic agreement at the White House. And, again, this is commitment. When I was the last time I presented a letter from Secretary of Energy, Secretary Dan Broulette, which included this commitment to the study of feasibility and three weeks later, applying it”, he said in the interview on the Voice of America.

Arrian Zeka, executive director of the American Economic Ode in Kosovo, expects the new US administration, however, to continue to seek the implementation of some of the points, if not the entire agreement signed on September 4th between Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, and Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vucinq.

“in this regard, the point that concerns Ujman Lake, will continue to be addressed by the new administration, because it is an issue that needs to be discussed and that a solution should be found between Kosovo and Serbia”, Zeka told Radio Free Europe.

Zeka expects Kosovo and Serbia to be seriously committed to meeting commitments made on September 4th in Washington.

“Whatever the failure of Kosovo and Serbia to push ahead to implement the provisions of the agreement they have taken over could be followed by increased US pressure, but at the same time with the non-finance of projects involved in the” deal, Zeka added.

He wants the Kosovo government to be as prepared in this process and to seek the assistance of local professionals.

Dragisa Mijaciq, director of the Institute for Territorial Economic Development, a nongovernmental organisation in Belgrade, in a statement to Radio Europe also expects the new US administration not to back down from this process.

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

“It ( The US will not allow the Wyman issue and management of this strategic resource to remain unresolved before they enter such a big 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 issue will be resolved immediately”, Mijaciq said.

In the process of dialogue, Serbia had repeatedly insisted that Ujman's management be in the competence of the Serbian majority municipalities, which the Kosovo side had flatly refused.

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 Mitrovica, Northern Mitrovica, Zvecani, Vushtrria, Glogoci, Skenderaj and a part of Pristina.

Next to them, the “Kosovo A” and “Kosovo B”, “Trepca” and “Ferroniki” depend entirely on water supply from artificial lake. Also, 32 megawatts (MW) are produced in the Vallach hydropower plant.