Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic said Rio Tinto’s “Jadar project is good for Serbia,” with the potential to boost the economy by “11 billion euros” across the “entire chain,” and vowed to continue advocating for this kind of progress.

She told Pink TV that citizens will not vote for an opposition that “only offers violence,” but rather for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who she credited with achievements such as motorway construction, fast road networks, the country’s improved investment rating, and an average salary expected to exceed 900 euros by the end of the year, along with a new pension increase set for December.

“All these opposition protests and the involvement of (United Group founder Dragan) ‘Solak’s media’ are aimed at seizing control of the country, destabilizing Serbia, and attacking Vucic,” said Brnabic, emphasizing that no decision has been made regarding lithium mining and that such a decision won’t be possible for the next two years.

These people have no political agenda, insisted Brnabic, adding that the opposition is doing the very opposite of what Vucic would do.

“If Vucic were to review the Environmental Impact Assessment – which won’t be available for another two years – and say, ‘this isn’t good, we’re not going ahead with the project,’ they would accuse him of halting the country’s development,” said Brnabic.

In her opinion, the opposition and environmental activist protests “have nothing to do with protecting the environment,” but are “a direct attack on Aleksandar Vucic, who represents power, development, and progress in Serbia.” They have to “oust him through street protests because they know they can’t defeat him in elections,” she added.