Thousands of people gathered in several Serbian cities to protest a lithium excavation project signed with the European Union, according to AP News.
Protests took place simultaneously in the western town of Šabac and the central towns of Kraljevo, Aranđelovac, Ljig, and Barajevo. Demonstrators followed similar gatherings in other Serbian cities in recent weeks.
The agreement reached earlier this month on “critical raw materials” could reduce Europe’s dependence on China and push Serbia, which has close ties with Russia and China, closer to the EU. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attended the summit in Belgrade.
However, the deal has been strongly criticised by environmentalists and opposition groups in Serbia. They argue that it will cause irreversible damage to the environment but bring little benefit to its citizens.
Serbia’s largest lithium reserve is in the western valley, rich in fertile land and water. Multinational Rio Tinto company started an exploration project in the area a few years ago, which caused huge opposition, forcing it to suspend operations.
Earlier this month, Serbia’s Constitutional Court overturned a previous government decision to cancel a $2.4 billion mining project. This opened the way for the British-Australian mining company in the Jadar valley to revive the plan.
President Aleksandar Vučić stated that any excavation would not begin until 2028 and that the government would seek firm environmental guarantees before allowing mining. Some government officials also hinted that a referendum might also be held on the issue.
Protesters who gathered in Serbian towns on Monday said they did not trust the government and would not allow the excavations to continue. In Šabac, demonstrators waved Serbian flags and marched through the town after the rally.
