Thousands protest against Serbia’s deal with EU to extract lithium

Thousands of people marched in several towns in Serbia on Monday to protest a planned lithium extraction which the government of the Balkan country recently signed with the European Union.

The protests took place simultaneously in the western town of Sabac and the central towns of Kraljevo, Arandjelovac, Ljig and Barajevo. Similar demonstrations had taken place in other parts of the country in recent weeks. Serbia.

The agreement reached this month on “critical raw materials” could reduce European dependence on China and lead to Serbiawhich has close ties with Russia and China, closer to the EUGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz attended the summit in Belgrade where the agreement was signed.

However, the project has been heavily criticized by environmentalists and opponents in Serbiawhich they argue would cause irreparable damage to the environment and provide little benefit to its citizens.

The lithium reserve largest of Serbia It is located in a western valley rich in fertile soil and water. The multinational Rio Tinto had begun exploration work years ago, but it was met with enormous opposition, forcing it to suspend the work.

However, Serbia’s constitutional court this month overturned the government’s earlier decision to suspend the $2.4 billion mining project launched by the British-Australian company in the Jadar Valley, paving the way for its revival.

The Serbian government had decided to suspend the drilling plans after thousands of protesters in Belgrade and elsewhere in the country blocked major roads and bridges in 2021 against Rio Tinto. Those protests were the biggest challenge yet to the increasingly authoritarian government of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Vucic has said that excavation would not begin before 2028 and that the government would require strong environmental guarantees before allowing extraction. Some government officials have hinted that a referendum on the issue could also be held.

The protesters Gathering in Serbian towns on Monday, they said they did not trust the government and would not allow the excavations to go ahead.

“They have usurped our rivers, our forests“ said activist Nebojsa Kovandzic from the town of Kraljevo.Everything they do is in their own interest and never in ours, the citizens’ interest.”. The crowd in Kraljevo chanted “do”.

In Sabac, protesters waved Serbian flags and marched through the town after the protest.