PHOTO ESSAY
Thousands protest Serbia’s deal with the European Union to excavate lithiumTwo woman take a selfie in front of a podium prior to a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
(AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
BY IVANA BZGANOVIC
AP
A man holds an old Yugoslav Communists’ flag during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A man wearing a mask attends a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A girl reacts during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A woman demonstrates during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A man wearing a traditional Serbian hat with Palestinian flag and badge reads: “We don’t give Jadar (area with lithium)!” attends a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A woman with drawn four Cyrillic letters for “S” on the Serbian cross, meaning: ''Only Unity Saves the Serb’’ demonstrates during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A boy waves a Serbian flag during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A boy waves a Serbian flag during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
BY IVANA BZGANOVIC
AP
July 29, 2024
SABAC, Serbia (AP) — Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia on Monday to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
The protests were held simultaneously in the western town of Sabac and the central towns of Kraljevo, Arandjelovac, Ljig and Barajevo. They followed similar gatherings in other Serbian towns in recent weeks.
The deal reached earlier this month on “critical raw materials” could reduce Europe’s dependency on China and push Serbia, which has close ties to Russia and China, closer to the EU. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attended the summit in Belgrade.
The deal, however, has been fiercely criticized by environmentalists and opposition groups in Serbia who argue it would cause irreversible damage to the environment while bringing little benefit to its citizens.
The biggest lithium reserve in Serbia lies in a western valley that is rich in fertile land and water. Multinational Rio Tinto company had started an exploration project in the area several years ago which sparked huge opposition, forcing its suspension.
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Earlier this month, however, Serbia’s constitutional court overturned the government ‘s previous decision to cancel a $2.4 billion mining project launched by the British-Australian mining company in the Jadar valley, paving the way for its revival.
The Serbian government’s decision to cancel the excavation plans came after thousands of protesters in Belgrade and elsewhere in Serbia blocked major roads and bridges in 2021 to oppose Rio Tinto. Those protests were the biggest challenge yet to the increasingly autocratic rule of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
Vucic has said that any excavation would not start before 2028 and that the government would seek firm environmental guarantees before allowing the digging. Some government officials have hinted a referendum on the issue could also be held.
Protesters who gathered on Monday in Serbian towns 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 (government) do they do for their own interests and never in the interest of us, citizens.” The crowd in Kraljevo chanted ‘thieves, thieves.’
In Sabac, protesters waved Serbian flags and held a march through the town after the rally.
SABAC, Serbia (AP) — Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia on Monday to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
The protests were held simultaneously in the western town of Sabac and the central towns of Kraljevo, Arandjelovac, Ljig and Barajevo. They followed similar gatherings in other Serbian towns in recent weeks.
The deal reached earlier this month on “critical raw materials” could reduce Europe’s dependency on China and push Serbia, which has close ties to Russia and China, closer to the EU. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attended the summit in Belgrade.
The deal, however, has been fiercely criticized by environmentalists and opposition groups in Serbia who argue it would cause irreversible damage to the environment while bringing little benefit to its citizens.
The biggest lithium reserve in Serbia lies in a western valley that is rich in fertile land and water. Multinational Rio Tinto company had started an exploration project in the area several years ago which sparked huge opposition, forcing its suspension.
RELATED STORIES
German leader to visit Serbia seeking lithium for his country's car industry
Germany's chancellor praises lithium deal with Serbia that could reduce Europe's dependency on China
Serbian police ban cultural festival with Kosovo as pressure mounts on liberal voices
Earlier this month, however, Serbia’s constitutional court overturned the government ‘s previous decision to cancel a $2.4 billion mining project launched by the British-Australian mining company in the Jadar valley, paving the way for its revival.
The Serbian government’s decision to cancel the excavation plans came after thousands of protesters in Belgrade and elsewhere in Serbia blocked major roads and bridges in 2021 to oppose Rio Tinto. Those protests were the biggest challenge yet to the increasingly autocratic rule of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
Vucic has said that any excavation would not start before 2028 and that the government would seek firm environmental guarantees before allowing the digging. Some government officials have hinted a referendum on the issue could also be held.
Protesters who gathered on Monday in Serbian towns 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 (government) do they do for their own interests and never in the interest of us, citizens.” The crowd in Kraljevo chanted ‘thieves, thieves.’
In Sabac, protesters waved Serbian flags and held a march through the town after the rally.
A man holds an old Yugoslav Communists’ flag during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A man wearing a mask attends a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A girl reacts during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A woman demonstrates during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A man wearing a traditional Serbian hat with Palestinian flag and badge reads: “We don’t give Jadar (area with lithium)!” attends a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A woman with drawn four Cyrillic letters for “S” on the Serbian cross, meaning: ''Only Unity Saves the Serb’’ demonstrates during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A boy waves a Serbian flag during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
A boy waves a Serbian flag during a protest in Sabac, Serbia, Monday, July 29, 2024. Thousands of people rallied in several towns in Serbia to protest a lithium excavation project the Balkan country’s government recently signed with the European Union.
(AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
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