The thousands who called for this cited the environmental impacts of lithium mining
On Saturday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of central Belgrade to protest against Rio Tinto’s planned lithium project in Western Serbia. The demonstrators, who converged on Terazije Square, expressed deep concerns about the potential environmental impact of the project, fearing it could contaminate local land and water sources.
The crowd, waving Serbian flags and chanting slogans like “You will not dig” and “Rio Tinto leave Serbia,” made their opposition clear. Protest leaders, including Zlatko Kokanovic, a farmer from the Jadar region where the mine is set to be located, urged participants to block two major train stations in Belgrade as a show of resistance.
Moreover, the protests were sparked by the Serbian government’s recent decision to reinstate Rio Tinto’s licence for what would be Europe’s largest lithium mine, a move that reversed a previous suspension imposed two years ago by the prior government due to environmental concerns.
The reinstatement of Rio Tinto’s licence has triggered widespread demonstrations across Serbia. Protesters have given the government a deadline to ban the exploration and extraction of lithium, which lapsed on Saturday. “We are not going to give up. The mine cannot be built on agricultural land,” declared Mica Miliovanovic, a 63-year-old worker. “This does not have anything to do with politics.”
Amidst the protests, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also made headlines by suggesting that there were reports of a potential coup being planned in Serbia, an assertion that heightened tensions. Vice Premier Aleksandar Vulin echoed Vucic’s concerns, telling Tanjug news agency that the authorities had valid reasons for their caution.
On top of that, the proposed USD2.4 billion (roughly RM10.6 billion) Jadar lithium project is significant, as it could meet up to 90% of Europe’s current lithium needs and position Rio Tinto as a major global player in the lithium market.
Lithium is a crucial element for batteries used in electric vehicles and mobile devices, making it a highly sought-after resource. While government officials argue that the lithium mine would boost Serbia’s economy, environmentalists and protesters are worried about the high costs associated with the project.
On 19 July, President Vucic, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and EU Energy Commissioner Maros Sefcovic signed a deal granting EU member states access to raw materials mined in Serbia, including lithium. This agreement aims to reduce the EU’s reliance on imports from America and Asia, highlighting the strategic importance of Serbia’s lithium resources.
We got all this from Reuters and their full article is linked here. Thank you Reuters for the information and images.
