Wrote: Etrit Rexhepi
Several pieces of content have been published with claims related to the explosion, which damaged the "Ibër-Lepenci" water canal in Zubin Potok.
The allegations have been published as video materials by official Albanian-language media channels (NTV Television and Euronews Albania).
The claims are related to threats towards Serbia, by the ambassadors of the United States of America and United Kingdom, the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, who blames the Serbs about what happened and even the claim that Citizens in the country have been left without electricity..
But, hibrid.info's findings show that none of these claims are accurate.
Is the American ambassador threatening Serbia?
The title of this video material published on the official YouTube channel of the medium, "NTV Television", announces that the content presents the reaction of Jeff Hovenier, the US ambassador to Pristina, after the attack on the water canal in Zubin Potok, while the cover of this video claims that there is a threat to Serbia.
Since it is about presenting the statement of the American ambassador, the audience can read that the latter has threatened Serbia.
Hibrid.info has found that Ambassador Hovenier's reaction was made on his account on the “X” platform (formerly Twitter). The Ambassador condemned the attack, supporting the Government of Kosovo in its investigations into the identification of the persons responsible for carrying out this act, which is also highlighted in the chronicle presented in the video.
Ambassador Hovenier's full reaction to "X" translated into Albanian:
"The United States strongly condemns the November 29 attack on critical infrastructure in Kosovo, damaging a water channel in Zubin Potok that is essential to Kosovo’s water supply and the operation of Kosovo’s thermal power plants. We are monitoring the situation closely, will support a comprehensive investigation, and have offered our full support to the Government of Kosovo to ensure that those responsible for this criminal attack are identified and held accountable.
We also condemn the recent grenade attacks on the Zvecan police station on November 26 and on the Zvecan municipality building on November 28. These violent acts have no place in a democratic society and those responsible for these criminal attacks against the legitimate authorities of the Republic of Kosovo must be held accountable.
The United States will continue to stand in solidarity with the people and Government of Kosovo in the face of such criminal attacks."
So, from this publication and the content of the video discussed, it is understood that Hovenier has in no way threatened Serbia.
British ambassador threatens and reveals who attacked in the north?
The title of this video material published on the official Youtube channel of the medium "NTV Television", should imply that Jonathan Hargreaves, the ambassador of the United Kingdom in Pristina, has threatened and identified the perpetrators of the attack in the north. But, from his Facebook post, which hibrid.info has encountered, it is understood that Hargreaves has condemned the attack and called for a swift investigation into any deliberate attack on critical infrastructure.
The full reaction of British Ambassador Hargreaves on Facebook, translated into Albanian:
“The serious incident in Zubin Potok tonight has potentially serious consequences for the energy and water supply of various communities in many parts of Kosovo. Any deliberate attack on critical infrastructure must be investigated promptly.”
The British ambassador's reaction, unlike the video's title, is accurately presented within the video.
Rama declares that the attack is an act of sabotage by Serbs?
In the title of this video material published on the official YouTube channel of the "Euronews Albania" medium, it is claimed that Prime Minister Rama has described the attack on the water canal in the north as an act of sabotage by Serbs.
From Rama's post on "X" and from the content of the video, it is understood that he described the attack as an act of sabotage, but did not blame the Serbian community or state for what happened in the village of Varraga in the Zubin Potok municipality.
Rama's full post on "X":
"The act of sabotage on the critical water supply infrastructure in the Iber Lepenc canal is a serious crime, which endangers the lives of Kosovo citizens and strikes at the process of normalizing relations in our region, where all countries are involved in the path of integration into the European Union. This criminal attack must be uncovered and punished as soon as possible with the support of international partners. In the meantime, the European Union must immediately lift the remaining sanctions against Kosovo and re-engage in a new dialogue format for normalization between Kosovo and Serbia. The existing format has failed to produce the desired results and it is time for the issues of dialogue to pass through the EU's bilateral relations with Kosovo or Serbia, as two states equally independent of each other, where the European fate of each state cannot depend on the wishes or displeasure of the other state; just as the European fate of the entire region cannot depend on the non-recognition of Kosovo by Serbia or 5 member states of the EU.”
Were citizens left without electricity in the north?
From the title of this video material published on the official YouTube channel of the medium "Euronews Albania", it is alleged that a journalist from the north (Urall Boshnjaku) has stated that, after the attack in the north, there is no electricity.
After checking and verifying the content of the video material, it is understood that the Bosnian journalist has indicated that although the expectations were that after the attack, the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK) would also have difficulties in supplying water, which would then make it difficult for this institution to produce electricity, but as he says, for now a temporary solution has been made to this problem, regarding electricity.
From this veggie You can see the journalist's full statement.
Analyze:
The headlines of some videos claim that the British ambassador has threatened and identified the perpetrators of the attack on the water canal in the north, that Prime Minister Rama has assessed that the act was carried out by Serbs, and that a journalist has stated that citizens in that area have been left without electricity.
While the cover of a video material claims that the American ambassador threatened Serbia after this attack.
However, hibrid.info has found and confirmed that the claims are not accurate and the titles do not correspond to the content of the materials.
Based on its work methodology, hibrid.info assesses this content as "Disinformation" and "Clickbait".
Reasoning:
"Disinformation" is defined as information content that contains a "mix" of inaccurate sources or even half-truthful attributes, and that is created and/or distributed with the deliberate intention of causing harm. The motive behind the producers/distributors of disinformation content lies in achieving a political, financial, psychological or social goal.
“Clickbait” is considered to be informational content whose title is general and does not disclose the location of the event, context and relevance. Such texts and articles aim to attract the attention of the audience with sensational headlines with misleading consequences, which do not accurately clarify the content of the article. “Clickbait” headlines are mainly made to attract readability in the case of media publications and/or to earn from clicks in the case of commercial publications.