Balkan country protests against resumption of lithium mining
Thousands of people took to the streets of Serbia's capital Belgrade on Saturday to protest the resumption of a lithium mine that is set to become a vital source of energy for Europe's transition to green energy.
Before the protest began, two leading protesters said they were briefly detained by security officers, who warned that any attempt to block roads during the protest would be considered illegal, Agence France-Presse reported.
Thousands of people chanted «Rio Tinto, get out of Serbia» and «You will not dig» as they gathered in central Belgrade before marching through the Serbian capital.
Protesters later entered Belgrade's main train station, where demonstrators blocked the tracks, stopping traffic, Agence France-Presse reported.
Serbia has vast lithium deposits near the western town of Loznica, where Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto is developing a lithium mining project that has become a persistent political issue in the Balkan country in recent years due to its potential environmental impact.
The deposits were discovered in 2004, but weeks of mass protests forced the government to suspend the project in 2022, Agence France-Presse recalls.
The Serbian government resumed the project after a court ruling last month said the order to revoke permits issued to Rio Tinto was “not in accordance with the constitution and the law.”
The Serbian government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the EU, which is considered a first step in developing Serbia's lithium resources.
Lithium, Agence France-Presse emphasizes, is a strategically valuable metal needed to produce batteries for electric vehicles, making it a key factor in helping the automotive industry transition to greener production.
However, the project remains unpopular among many Serbians due to concerns that the mine will pollute water supplies and threaten public health.
“I am in Belgrade because the survival of Serbia is being defended here,” said Slobodan Stanimirovic, 58, from Radjevina in western Serbia, near the site of the future mine.
The protest in Belgrade was the latest in a series of demonstrations across the Balkan country after mining licenses were reinstated.
Activists and demonstrators have called on lawmakers to pass a law permanently banning lithium and boron mining in Serbia.
Environmental groups have said they are prepared to block major transport arteries across Serbia and stage civil disobedience if the government refuses to act by the activists' August 10 deadline.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has repeatedly said mining will not begin until environmental safety guarantees are in place.