N1’s reporter Zaklina Tatalovic tested Friday the Serbian government’s call center on Rio Tinto’s Jadar lithium mining project. Serbian Mining and Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic picked up, answered questions, but when the topic of protests came up, she hung up.

The reporter asked the minister about public concerns regarding the opening of a lithium mine in the Jadar Valley. When asked if there are other lithium mines in densely populated, fertile areas, the minister talked about mines in Australia and Chile and compared Jadar to a planned mine in France.

She mentioned that over 150 people had either granted permission, sold, or leased their land used for research, and emphasized that there is no need for further relocation of local residents.

When asked where Rio Tinto operates without issues, the minister admitted she was not familiar with the specifics of their operations, acknowledging that challenges can arise with companies of that scale.

“What is important for us is that we are on the European continent, and as a country that is in the process of accession to the European Union (EU), we expect the same standards from the company as if we were an EU member state,” said Djedovic Handanovic, adding that the state wants these standards to be applied as if in Finland or Portugal.

Regarding the daily use of sulfuric acid for ore processing, the minister said that it would be used in smaller quantities annually than what is currently used in Serbia’s pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

“What we know, and what current data shows, is that it will be more than twice as less than the current usage in Serbia,” Djedovic Handanovic highlighted.

As the minister was about to end the call, the reporter inquired about the protests against lithium mining taking place across Serbia and how she responds to them. Instead of an answer, the minister said “thank you, thank you” and promptly ended the call.