Mass Protests Erupt in Belgrade Over Controversial Lithium Mining Project

On August 11, approximately 30,000 demonstrators took to the streets of Belgrade to oppose a proposed lithium extraction project by international energy company Rio Tinto in western Serbia. The project, backed by Serbian President Aleksander Vucic, aims to invest $2.4 billion in the Jadar region, potentially supplying up to 90% of Europe’s lithium needs. Lithium is essential for batteries that support the transition to green energy, but environmentalists argue that the mining process poses significant ecological risks. The protests, which spread beyond Belgrade, were fueled by concerns that the project would lead to severe environmental degradation. Activists have criticized the government for prioritizing economic gain over ecological preservation, resulting in a two-year delay in the project. The demonstrations also took on a political dimension, with Russian officials suggesting that the protests were a façade orchestrated by Vucic's political adversaries, reminiscent of the 2013 protests in Ukraine that led to regime change. In response to the protests, state-controlled media launched a campaign against the demonstrators, while Serbia continues to pursue European Union membership. Recently, Serbia signed an agreement with the EU regarding "critical raw materials," granting access to its lithium reserves. Meanwhile, Serbia’s Mining and Energy Minister, Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic, emphasized the country’s ambition to develop a comprehensive value chain for battery and electric vehicle production, highlighting the complex environmental trade-offs involved in energy production.