BELGRADE ERUPTS IN PROTESTS OVER LITHIUM MINING PROJECT

Sat 10 August 2024:

In a vibrant display of public dissent, thousands took to the streets of Belgrade, the Serbian capital, voicing their strong opposition to the revival of a controversial lithium mining project. This mine, poised to become a significant contributor to Europe’s green energy ambitions, has reignited a heated debate in the Balkan nation.

Before the Saturday rally, two prominent protest leaders reported brief detainment by security forces. Authorities warned that any efforts to block roads during the demonstration would be deemed illegal.

“We came here today to raise our voice against something that is beyond politics,” declared Svetlana Bojkovic, a renowned Serbian actor, addressing the gathering. The crowd echoed her sentiments, chanting, “There will be no mining,” among other slogans.

Belgrade erupts in protests over lithium mining projecthttps://t.co/hgxpH3jo5F pic.twitter.com/X0ozgr4WJ8

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Serbia’s lithium deposits, particularly near Loznica in the west, have become a contentious issue. The Anglo-Australian mining behemoth, Rio Tinto, had been developing a mining project in the area, a plan that has long been a divisive political topic due to potential environmental repercussions.

Discovered in 2004, these deposits were central to a halted project following massive protests in 2022. However, a recent court ruling deemed the revocation of Rio Tinto’s permits unconstitutional and unlawful, prompting a government reversal on the matter.

Subsequently, the Serbian government authorized the project’s recommencement and inked a memorandum of understanding with the European Union. This agreement is viewed as a preliminary step toward tapping into Serbia’s lithium resources.

As a crucial component for electric vehicle batteries, lithium holds immense strategic value, pivotal for the automotive industry’s green transformation. Despite this, the project remains controversial, with many Serbians fearing it could contaminate water supplies and jeopardize public health.

Slobodan Stanimirovic, a 58-year-old from Radjevina near the prospective mining site, expressed his concerns: “I am in Belgrade because the survival of life in Serbia is being defended here.”

The Belgrade demonstration is part of a broader series of protests sparked by the reinstatement of the mine’s licenses. Activists and protestors are urging lawmakers to enact legislation that permanently bans lithium and boron mining in Serbia.

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Reporting from the scene, Al Jazeera’s Jelena Glusac noted the protest’s impressive turnout, surpassing recent rallies on other issues, including those spurred by last year’s mass shootings. “It seems like the lithium [mine proposal] managed to gather more people than any other subject,” she observed.

Environmental organizations have vowed to intensify their actions, including blocking key traffic routes across Serbia and engaging in civil disobedience if the government does not respond by the activists’ August 10 deadline.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has consistently assured that no mining activities will commence until environmental safety guarantees are firmly established.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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