The “You Move Europe” international initiative has launched an online petition to ban the opening of Rio Tinto’s lithium mine in the Jadar Valley in Serbia.

The petition has so far been signed by over 240 thousand people.

According to the information on the initiative’s website, 300,000 signatures need to be collected so the petition can be submitted to the Serbian authorities and representatives of the European Parliament.

“We call upon you to prohibit extractive mining projects and metal processing in the Jadar Valley in Serbia. In particular, we demand that you cancel the proposed Rio Tinto lithium mine in Loznica. We demand that you protect the biodiversity, fertile ground, farming villages and rich cultural areas,” reads the petition.