Opposition representatives meet with Costa: What was discussed

“We discussed the major crisis facing Serbia. We presented the fact that Serbia is witnessing the largest protests in its history, which have shown that the government lacks legitimacy to rule Serbia. We expressed our position that we support Serbia’s progress in European integration and what the EU’s role should be at this moment. We believe it should be clear support for Serbian citizens in stopping corruption and ensuring accountability,” said Radomir Lazovic, co-president of the Green-Left Front (ZLF).

Lazovic also noted that they informed Costa about the government repression on citizens.

“We informed Costa about the fact that repression is being carried out against citizens in Serbia. We spoke about activists and members of the Movement of Free Citizens (PSG), who are political prisoners, and about the expulsion of foreign nationals, including EU citizens. We discussed the media campaign against the university and the pressure on it. We also talked about the sonic cannon,” Lazovic told a press conference following the meeting.

According to Lazovic, Costa responded that he is in Serbia to assess whether reforms have been implemented.

“From Costa, we received the response that he is here to see if reforms have been carried out, but what we see is that nothing has been fulfilled. We said we expect clear positions—that we get concrete answers and that the EU takes on a different role, which has so far been perceived as support for Vucic.”

Ecological Uprising leader Aleksandar “Cuta” Jovanovic said he told Antonio Costa that Serbia is a country with the gravest ecological crimes in Europe and that Serbian citizens do not want the Rio Tinto company’s lithium mining project in the Jadar Valley.

“I asked him how much it will cost Serbian citizens to support a project that means the disappearance of an entire region. This is not just about Rio Tinto, but about the people’s fight to live freely on their land, which should remain healthy and clean,” said Jovanovic.

He added that the response he got was that the EU supports the lithium mining project and that Europe needs lithium.

“I replied that it will not depend on him or (Serbian President) Aleksandar Vucic, but on the rebellious people in Gornje Nedeljice and across Serbia who have risen up and said what they think about the Jadar project. Costa can support lithium mining, but in Portugal, where there is also resistance from his fellow citizens, while here it is not up for debate,” Jovanovic said.

Movement of Free Citizens (PSG) leader Pavle Grbovic said he informed Costa “about the fact that six PSG activists and members of the STAV group are spending their 60th day in detention.”

“A charging document has been issued against them, in violation of the law, based on illegal wiretapping of a private, informal conversation. This is destroying their lives, but it also causes great harm to Serbia, as our country becomes the only European state, alongside Russia, Belarus, and Turkey, that has political prisoners,” Grbovic told the press conference at the Serbian Parliament following the meeting with Antonio Costa.