The European Green Party has expressed solidarity with anti-lithium protesters in Serbia ahead of a National Assembly debate on lithium mining scheduled for next week. In a statement released today, the European Greens highlighted that tens of thousands of Serbians protested across fifty cities this summer against the government’s decision to allow Rio Tinto, a multinational mining company, to extract lithium in the Jadar Valley.
The Jadar Valley, a densely populated rural area in Western Serbia, is home to fertile agricultural land and vital underground water resources. The European Greens criticized the project, stating that the benefits would primarily go to Rio Tinto, while leaving significant environmental and social damage in its wake.
Next week’s extraordinary session in the Serbian National Parliament was prompted by a request from the opposition, where 86 MPs from various parties have proposed a draft law to ban lithium extraction. However, representatives from the ruling majority have already expressed opposition to this law, suggesting it may not be passed.
Thomaz Waitz, co-chair of the European Green Party, emphasized the need for a genuine public debate regarding the lithium mining issue. He warned against repeating past mistakes that led to environmental degradation and societal disruption due to the rush for critical materials.
“Consultations must be genuine, and accountability processes need to be established before any operations are considered. The current Memorandum of Understanding between the EU and Serbia does not provide the necessary legal assurances,” Waitz stated.
He further urged the EU to ensure a legal framework in Serbia that holds both Rio Tinto and the Serbian government accountable, advocating for an approach that prioritizes the rights of communities, nature, and biodiversity.
The European Greens condemned the violence, detentions, and intimidation faced by activists opposing lithium mining. Protests erupted in the summer of 2024 after the Serbian government decided to move forward with the Jadar Valley project, which had previously been halted in 2022 due to widespread protests.
A significant event, the Critical Raw Material Summit, took place on July 19 in Belgrade, attended by figures including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Vice President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič. The summit culminated in a Memorandum of Understanding between the EU and Serbia, aimed at sustainable raw materials and battery value chains, which many viewed as a crucial step toward advancing the lithium mining project in the Jadar Valley.
