Zlatko Kokanovic, the president of the We Won't Give Up Jadar association from the western Serbian village of Gornje Nedeljice, urged Belgraders and all Serbian citizens to join a major protest against mining set for Saturday, August 10, in Belgrade.

Kokanovic told the Beta news agency that the protest is not just about Rio Tinto’s Jadar lithium mine but aims to prevent the government from permitting any lithium mining across Serbia.

“I call on everyone to come out in as large numbers as possible to the protest at Terazije in Belgrade. Our sole demand will be a permanent ban on lithium exploration and exploitation throughout Serbia. We will also outline our next steps to stop any new lithium mines from opening anywhere in Serbia,” Kokanovic said, noting that the event is organized by all Serbian environmental organizations.

He expressed doubts about the possibility of a law permanently banning lithium exploration and exploitation in Serbia being adopted by August 10.

“The government can only enact such a law under public pressure, as it did in 2022 when it withdrew the decree on the realization of the Jadar project. On Saturday, August 10, it is crucial that we show our determination, and our actions will influence what further steps the government will take,” Kokanovic said.

He stressed that ecological groups are not foreign agents and do not work for the government and emphasized that this fight goes beyond politics, religion, nationality, and sexual orientation.

“People need to understand that our actions on August 10 and in the following days will define us forever. This is literally a battle for the survival of Serbia, not just for Gornje Nedeljice and Loznica. If the lithium and boron mining project in Jadar goes ahead, all other projects across the country will follow, and we will become a mining colony and our environment will be devastated,” Kokanovic warned.

Environmental organizations have scheduled a central protest against mining for Saturday, August 10, in Belgrade. The protest will take place at the Terazije square, starting at 7pm.

Recent days have seen protests in 28 cities across Serbia, and according to current announcements, at least 23 more cities will host protest gatherings by Saturday.