Widespread protests in Serbia against lithium mining

Marijana Petrovic, an activist from Arandjelovac, told N1 that their protest would support citizens across Serbia, particularly in Gornje Nedeljice, where the fight is most intense. “Arandjelovac and Bukulja are on the official list for mining. Opening a lithium mine in Loznica could be disastrous for all of us. We’ve seen the ecological catastrophes lithium mines cause worldwide,” she said.

Arandjelovac, a spa town under Bukulja, is known for its natural beauty. Petrovic emphasized that there are significant reasons for their fear, citing the Ministry of Energy and Mining’s decisions from 2004 to 2024 that allocated exploration rights to 63 areas, including eight in Arandjelovac.

The protest will feature speakers such as chemistry professor Karolina Aleksandrovic, forestry professor Ratko Ristic, and basketball player Vladimir Stimac. Petrovic urged citizens to unite, regardless of political beliefs, to show solidarity and determination.

Srdjan Mitrasinovic, a Sabac Assembly member, highlighted the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) stance against the "Jadar" project, noting its potential to deplete Europe’s largest freshwater basin. He pointed out that agricultural revenues far outweigh the potential mining royalties and emphasized the risk of displacing tens of thousands of people.

“The ‘Jadar’ project threatens the survival of western Serbia. This issue concerns all citizens of Serbia and must be resolved by them,” Mitrašinović stated. The demands of the Šabac protest are clear: to heed expert advice and stop the Jadar project.

Speakers at the Sabac protest will include professor Biljana Stepanović from ProGlas and local water researcher Dragan Isajlović. The unified message is to prioritize this critical issue over all others.

The protests represent a collective "no" to lithium mining. Activists hope to form a broad social front to lead this cause, as they see themselves facing off against both Rio Tinto and a cooperative government.