Thousands protest against lithium mining in Serbia
The European Union would like to import large quantities of lithium from Serbia in the future, which could reduce dependence on China for this important raw material. However, thousands of people are protesting against the deal on the streets.
Thousands of people across Serbia have protested against a recently agreed project with the EU to extract lithium. "They've snatched our rivers and forests," said activist Nebojsa Kovandzic from the city of Kraljevo at a rally. "All they (the government) do is for their own interests and never in the interest of us, the citizens." The crowd chanted: "Thieves, thieves" or "Rio Tinto, go home."
In Sabac, protesters waved Serbian flags and marched through the city after a rally. Protests also took place in Arandjelovac, Ljig, and Barajevo. Many Serbs had already protested against the agreement on strategic resources in the weeks before, which the EU aims to reduce dependence on China. Lithium is crucial for battery production, especially for electric cars. A declaration of intent was signed last week in the presence of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Belgrade.
Environmentalists and opposition groups in Serbia criticize the project, saying it will cause irreversible environmental damage, but bring little benefit to the country's citizens. The British-Australian company Rio Tinto had started a lithium mining project in the Jadar Valley in the west of the country a few years ago, which faced strong resistance and had to be suspended. However, the Serbian Constitutional Court overturned the government's decision to scrap the project worth 2.2 billion euros in early July, paving the way for its resumption.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić recently stated that mining would not begin before 2028. The government will demand environmental guarantees before approving mining. Some government officials have hinted that there could also be a referendum on this issue.
Despite the EU's plans to import lithium from Serbia for electric car battery production, local protests continue to rise against the lithium extraction project due to concerns about environmental damage and citizens' welfare. The resumption of the lithium mining project in the Jadar Valley, led by the British-Australian company Rio Tinto, has been a contentious issue, with opponents arguing that it will bring minimal benefits to the country.
