Thousands protest in the Serbian capital against the lithium mine
Thousands took to the streets of the Serbian capital Belgrade on Saturday to protest against the restart of a controversial lithium mine that will provide a crucial source for Europe’s green energy transition.
Before the rally, two leading protest figures said security officials briefly detained them, warning them that any attempt to block roads during the protest would be considered illegal.
Thousands chanted “Rio Tinto, get out of Serbia” and “You shall not dig” as they gathered in central Belgrade before setting out on a march through the city.
Interior Ministry figures later estimated the crowd at between 24,000 and 27,000 people. Protesters later entered Belgrade’s central station, where demonstrators blocked the tracks and brought traffic to a standstill.
“The organizers and leaders were warned by the police both before and during the protest that their actions were not in accordance with the law,” Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said in a statement, promising that charges would be filed against “ all perpetrators”.
Serbia has huge lithium deposits near the western city of Loznica. A mining project being developed by Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has been a perennial political fault line in the Balkan country in recent years due to its potential environmental impacts.
The deposits were discovered in 2004, but weeks of mass protests forced the government to halt the project in 2022.
The government revived the project following a court ruling last month, which said the order to revoke permits awarded 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 that is seen as the first step in developing Serbia’s lithium resources.
– Protesters promise disruption –
Lithium is a strategically valuable metal needed for electric vehicle batteries, making it crucial to helping the auto industry transition to greener production.
However, the project remains unpopular with many in Serbia due to concerns that the mine would pollute water sources and endanger public health.
“I am in Belgrade because the survival of life in Serbia is being defended here,” said Slobodan Stanimirovic, 58, from western Serbia’s Radjevina, near the site of the future mine.
The protest in Belgrade was the latest in a series held across the country after the mine’s permits were reinstated.
Late on Saturday, protest leader Zlatko Kokanovic vowed to block more railway crossings in the coming days.
“We will stay here all night and all day,” Kokanovic said.
Activists and protesters want lawmakers to pass a law permanently banning lithium and boron mining in Serbia.
Environmental groups said they were prepared to block major arteries in Serbia and engage in civil disobedience if the government refused to act before the August 10 deadline set by activists.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has repeatedly vowed that no mining operations will begin until guarantees on environmental safety protocols are in place.
