“NOVOSTI” REVEALS: This is exactly what the Washington delegation did in Gazivode

In addition, the study will contain a section on improving environmental protection, while the second phase will be the disposal of the “Ibar-Lepenac” cluster, which would increase the volume of water used for irrigation and consumption. By the way, recently the representatives of the US Ministry of Energy visited Belgrade and Pristina, in order to gather all the necessary documentation for the elaboration of this study. Our side is also very happy, because Central Serbia will finally benefit from something it has invested and built in.

“The visit was extremely productive,” they told us at the US Embassy in Belgrade. – This interagency delegation, led by the US Department of Energy, once again showed the commitment of the US government to normalize economic relations between Kosovo and Serbia. With this visit we will begin with talks at a technical level, which should continue in the coming months. Members of the delegation met with representatives of the relevant Serbian and Kosovo ministries, electricity, water management and the business community.

The United States Embassy explained to us that with the Washington Agreement, both parties, among other things, committed to energy diversification and joint work on a feasibility study on Lake Gazivode.

– Since the focus of the delegation is the intensification of dialogue and the rational management of common resources, the delegation visited Gazivode and thus began an investigation of key importance for the study. Neighboring cooperation on the sound management of water and energy resources will attract new regional investments and bring long-term economic benefits to the peoples of Serbia and Kosovo.

Our energy experts point out that the electricity produced in Gazivode will also be able to be used by Central Serbia, because it will flow transparently through the grid, so it will be known exactly how many kilowatts they used, but also how much it costs. Now all those kilowatts go to the Pristina power grid, but they are mostly used by the northern part of the province. However, that is a small percentage of the electricity that is produced there. Lake Gazivode is the most important for the water supply, but also for cooling the Obilić thermal power plant.

– Everything is good potential, which can be used to normalize relationships – believes our energy expert. – The essence of the whole problem is to create a sustainable economic environment. Because when there is water, electricity and good relations, everyone will want to invest there, that is, when there is economic security. Our role is to do our best in that study, economically, not politically.

Lake Gazivode

Pristina, however, is more than uninterested in changing and sharing anything there. They even went through the official documents that regardless of the study’s solutions, they won’t change anything that implies that Central Serbia can also use energy. However, our experts believe that the Americans will set the rules of the game here, and no matter which side they want, they will work on that.

– When it is established on the platform how it will be done, this is how it behaves – thinks our energy expert. – There isn’t much here, like it or not.

HYDROELECTRIC PLANT AND TERRITORY OF SERBIA

LAKE Gazivode will be divided between Kosovo and Serbia for goods. And that means that Kosovo will get water for thermal power plants and agriculture, and Serbia will get hydroelectric power and Gazivoda territory, Pristina analyst Fesnik Haljimi told the “Kosovo Online” portal.