Thousands rally in various Serbia towns to protest against lithium excavation deal

Thousands rallied across Serbia on Monday to protest a lithium excavation project their country’s government recently signed with the European Union. 

Protests were held simultaneously in towns like Savac, Kraljevo, Arandjelovac, Ljig and Barajevo.  

They followed similar gatherings in other Serbian towns in the past weeks. 

The recent deal which was reached earlier this month concerning “critical raw materials” could reduce Europe’s dependency on China. 

It could also have the effect of pushing Serbia, which has close ties to Russia and China, closer to the EU.  

However, the deal has been fiercely criticized by environmentalists and oppositions groups in Serbia who argue it would cause irreversible damage to the environment while bringing minimal benefits to Serbian 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 the projects to be suspended. 

Earlier this month, Serbia’s constitutional court overturned the government's previous decision to cancel the $2.4 billion mining project launched by the British-American company, paving the way for its revival.  

The 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.  

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić 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 that a referendum on the issue could also be held.