- Tens of thousands protest against lithium mine in Serbia
Massive Protest Against Environmentally Hazardous Mining: Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Belgrade against the planned extraction of lithium in their country. They occupied two railway stations in the Serbian capital overnight Saturday. Police arrested 19 protesters in total.
Police intervened in the morning to clear the railway stations, where smaller groups of protesters were still present. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic condemned the railway blockades but signaled willingness to engage in dialogue and a possible referendum on the lithium project.
Serbia's lithium deal with Brussels
Serbia's government signed a memorandum of understanding with EU Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic in the presence of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in Belgrade on July 19, aiming to facilitate environmentally friendly extraction of the highly sought-after light metal in the Jadar Valley.
The Jadar Valley in western Serbia holds Europe's largest lithium deposit. The raw material is crucial for the production of electric vehicles. In July this year, Belgrade gave the green light for lithium mining. Two years earlier, the government had temporarily halted the project due to pressure from environmentalists who consider lithium mining highly damaging to humans and nature.
Serbian President wants to talk to the people
Vucic stated that occupying railway stations was "not a contribution to democracy." He wants to speak with the residents of the planned mining area. "I simply don't understand why people in this country want to destroy Serbia's economy," he said in a televised address. "Do people in Serbia really think I'm stupid and crazy, that I would do something against my country and my people?" He did not rule out the possibility of a referendum on the issue, either in the affected region or nationwide.
According to Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, 14 people were arrested during the protest night on suspicion of criminal offenses, three more for public order offenses, and two foreigners for their presence at the demonstration near important state institutions. Police estimated the number of protesters at 24,000 to 27,000. Independent observers spoke of around 40,000 protesters.
In the preceding days, numerous people in more than 40 Serbian cities had demonstrated against the lithium project. The organizers announced further traffic blockades for the coming week without providing details.
West seeks to reduce dependence on China
Germany and the EU aim to reduce dependence on China through lithium mining in Serbia. China controls a large part of global lithium extraction and processing. Serbia is an official EU candidate country. Meanwhile, Serbian President Vucic and other government politicians maintain close ties with Russia.
Environmentalists criticize, among other things, that lithium mining contaminates groundwater with heavy metals, posing a threat to the drinking water supply of residents. "Is it patriotism to help a multinational corporation, or is true patriotism the fight for clean air, clean land, and water that nourishes us all in Serbia?" actress Jelena Stupljanin said at the protest rally in Belgrade. Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has been interested in the lithium project in Serbia for years.
Source: Politika, Serbian
The police continued their efforts to clear the remaining protesters from the railway stations on Sunday morning. Despite the arrests, the Police faced resistance from protesters who were determined to voice their concerns against the lithium mining project.
