The Rio Sava Exploration company denied on Tuesday a report by an environmentalist organisation and opposition saying that the Anglo-Australian mining company continued works in western Serbia. Pročitaj više

The ‘Get Lost from the Drina’ River organisation and Biljana Stojkovic, the ‘Moramo’ (We Must) opposition coalition’s presidential candidate, showed reporters earlier in the day a video with Rio Tinto machines for excavation of lithium.

„At today’s news conference titled ‘ Presentation of evidence that Rio Tinto’s Jadar Project continues’, a video was released, which was announced as the exclusive proof that Rio Tinto continued with the development of the ‘Jadar Project’ in Serbia. That is another in a series of sensationalist and unfounded attacks on Rio Tinto and another attempt to politicise the Project and the mining industry in the current election campaign,“ the company said in a statement.

They added that, during the development of the ‘Jadar Project’ in the previous 20 years, the company cooperated with all interested parties.

„There is an agreement signed with the mentioned companies, Thyssen, from Austria and DMT from Germany at the beginning of January before the Government decides to pass a decree annulling the previously adopted Spatial Plan for the implementation of the ‘Jadar Project.’ Rio Tinto respects the Government’s decision does not implement or plan any activities contrary to the current status of the Project, „the statement added.

Serbia’s environmentalists and opposition remain sceptical about the Government’s promise that Rio Tinto was finished in the country following mass protests and raodblocks.

They suspect that the ‘Jadar Project’ was just postponed until after the April 3 elections.