“There will be no softening of stance – lithium will not be mined in the Jadar valley, and that is permanent,” leader of the Ecological Uprising movement and MP Aleksandar “Cuta” Jovanovic told N1.

“If (Serbian President) Aleksandar Vucic is a hostage to the agreements and obligations he has undertaken from Rio Tinto, I am not, nor will I ever be. They’ll have to go over my dead body to start mining. That means – if Rio Tinto’s machinery moves in, everyone to the barricades, there’ll be a nationwide uprising, I am certain of it,” he stressed.

There has been speculation that the opposition has softened its stance on lithium mining, the first argument being that the word “permanent” was left out of the proposed law banning lithium mining, which was supported by 86 MPs.

Jovanovic explained that the word “permanent” does not exist in legal terms. “For when you say ban, that’s what it means, a ban is permanent, there will be no mining.”

He reiterated that Rio Tinto’s Jadar lithium mining project will not happen.

“You can forget that. Rio Tinto has never mined lithium anywhere. They have had no experience in this in their 150 years in the mining industry. If they knew how, they’d be mining it somewhere already,” said Jovanovic.

Asked if he is against mining in general, Jovanovic said: “Of course not, every country needs to exploit its own resources, including mineral ores. But the key is for someone to tell us what we have and how much, how much gold do the Chinese export from Serbia each year? Whose gold is that? How much oil and gas do the Russians take, and have they told us what it’s worth?”

He said the opposition has finally united on this issue, that it has come together to stop the lithium mining project, adding that “it is time to put an end to this in parliament.”

The Serbian parliament is to discuss 2024 budget revision on Monday, September 23, following which the agenda will include a discussion on the proposed draft law banning lithium and boron mining.

Jovanovic acknowledged that the ruling coalition, with 164 MPs, has the majority, but added that this doesn’t mean they all support mining.

“That’s because they have to… I guarantee you that it’s not true. They’re being forced, they’re whimps who will do whatever Vucic tells them. But if you ask them honestly and privately, who would be crazy enough to allow mining. They are scared, no one wants to vote for it. Only the biggest fanatics – the lithium seller and the top team – are fanatically pushing this project. Everyone else has a problem with it, and that’s Vucic’s main problem because his voters are not for it,” said Jovanovic.

“If they keep arresting people, pressuring us, labeling us as terrorists… Vucic calls himself one of the bravest leaders in history. But why would he be afraid when he has the police, the military, (US Ambassador Christopher) Hill, (German Chancellor Olaf) Scholz, NATO – all the forces that shaped him into a ‘European’ just to sell off his country. He’s already sold Kosovo, and now our natural resources are next,” said Jovanovic.

He explained that the goal of the opposition activities is for this issue to be addressed in parliament.

“For people to learn the facts, and secondly – for us to prove that it is possible to drive that monster out of our house. If we love this country, if it is important to us that our children stay here and live in a healthy Serbia, it the duty of each one of us to drive Rio Tinto out,” he said, emphasizing that the real fight will take place in the field.