On Sunday, thousands of protesters took to the streets in Belgrade, Serbia to oppose two new laws that allow foreign companies to exploit the country’s natural resources.
The Serbian government has offered mining resources to overseas firms, including China’s Zijin copper miner and Rio Tinto. Environmentalists say the mining projects will pollute land and water in the Balkan nation.
Protesters gathered on the main bridge of the Serbian capital Belgrade, chanting, “Rio Tinto go away from the Drina River.” They were also seen carrying banners that read: “Stop investors, save the nature”, “We are not giving away the nature in Serbia”, and “For the land, the water and the air.”
The demonstrators criticised a referendum law that was passed last month that makes it difficult for people to protest against polluting projects. People are also protesting against the new expropriation law, which allows the state to acquire private land more easily.
Roadblocks were set up across Serbia, including in the second-largest city of Novi Sad. A protester from Belgrade said, “The reason (for the protest) is to protect our land, water and air. We do not want it to be sold cheaply.” Another protester said, “They allowed foreign companies to do whatever they want on our land. They put us on a platter for everyone who can just come and take whatever they want.”
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic also shared the protest photographs, saying, “Clean air, water and food are keys to health. Without that, every word about ‘health’ is obsolete.”
Smaller protests were also witnessed in other cities of Serbia against the extraction of lithium, with demonstrators and counter-protesters engaging in scuffles. Similar protests broke out last week, during which attacks in western Serbia’s Sabac sparked accusations on social media that the government is using hooligans to suppress demonstrations.
Although mining firm Rio Tinto has promised to adhere to national and European Union’s environmental laws, environmentalists say the firm’s planned lithium mine worth $2.4 billion would irreversibly pollute drinking water in the area.
Meanwhile, President Aleksandar Vucic posted a picture on his Instagram profile that highlights the acquisition of land by Rio Tinto in the village of Gornje Nedeljice for its future lithium project. Vucic wrote: “Everything we build today we are leaving to our children.”
The President said, however, that he would call for a referendum to allow people to decide if the project should be implemented once the environmental study is complete. Moreover, he said no action would be taken against the protesters if they do not jeopardise the lives of others or public property.
During his trip to Western Serbia on Saturday, Vucic said he had not yet signed the amendment to the expropriation law, which was passed by his party in the parliament a week ago. He added that he disagreed with the changes to the expropriation law and pledged to seek further changes. However, he did not specify these changes.
The protests are a cause of concern for Serbia’s ruling Peoples’ Progressive Party led by President Vucic ahead of the parliamentary and presidential elections next year.
Thousands Protest in Serbia Against Govt’s Mining Plans, Exploitation of Local Resources
Thousands took to the streets of Belgrade to oppose two contentious laws that allow for the easy acquisition of private land and the exploitation of natural resources.
December 6, 2021
IMAGE SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN