The state ceremony marking the Day of Remembrance for the victims and displaced persons of the Croatian military operation "Operation Storm" is being held in Loznica, in western Serbia. This city has been in the spotlight for weeks due to Rio Tinto's plans to open a lithium mine nearby, which has faced significant public opposition.

The commemoration in Loznica will be attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. According to official state data, about 30,000 displaced persons entered the city in 1995 through the Sepak border crossing.

On August 4, 1995, the military-police operation „Storm“ began, through which Croatia regained sovereignty over its entire territory, effectively ending the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina.

While this day is celebrated in Croatia as the Day of Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving, it is observed in Serbia as the Day of Remembrance for the Victims and Displaced Serbs. Due to „Operation Storm,“ between 200,000 and 250,000 Serbs left Croatia, with more than 2,000 people killed or missing.

SSP: Vucic provokes citizens

The choice of Loznica as the location for commemorating the victims and displaced persons of „Operation Storm“ is seen as a provocation by the opposition in Serbia.

The City Committee of the opposition Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) in Loznica stated that many see this decision by President Aleksandar Vucic’s regime as „sticking a finger in the eye“ and disciplining citizens who are concerned about their future due to the looming threat of lithium mining.

The statement added that many associate this with the fact that the same government, which now threatens to devastate the population of Jadar, was responsible for the misjudgments and disastrous policies that led to the persecution of Serbs from Croatia.

This summer, the lithium mining project near Loznica by Rio Tinto was reactivated. The Serbian government also signed a Memorandum on Strategic Raw Materials with the EU, concerning Serbian lithium reserves that would be used in the production of electric vehicles in Europe to reduce dependence on China.

While the Serbian government promotes lithium mining as an opportunity for rapid economic development and EU integration, many citizens across the country are protesting, fearing that lithium exploitation would have devastating consequences for the environment and public health.