Activist of the We Won't Give Up Jadar association Zlatko Kokanovic said a meeting of the Association of Environmental Organizations of Serbia (SEOS) was held in the village of Tekeris and that the form of future protests against the planned lithium mining in Serbia will depend on how the authorities and Rio Tinto respond.

Kokanovic, who attended Sunday the commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the Battle of Cer in Tekeris, told the Beta news agency that SEOS is in touch with many environmentalists and that a joint meeting is expected in the coming days.

He confirmed that protests are definitely planned, with people across Serbia already rallying. However, the specifics of the protests will hinge on the actions of the authorities and Rio Tinto, adding that “the ball is now in their court.”

Kokanovic emphasized that the spontaneous gatherings of people have clearly voiced their opposition to lithium mining.

He said the message to both Rio Tinto and anyone else looking to exploit lithium in Serbia is as follows: “We won’t allow it. You can only mine over our dead bodies. There’s no going back. We’re aware of the burden we carry, and there will be no retreat.”