Serbian Minister vows to change approach amid lithium mining

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Sep 2024 19:15

Minister Dacic says will end the questioning of activists at border crossings.

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Thousands of demonstrators gather in Loznica to protest against the opening of a controversial lithium mining project that has been halted for years by protests over environmental fears, Serbia, June 28, 2024 (AFP Photo)

During a special parliamentary session addressing accusations of mistreatment of demonstrators protesting a lithium mine, Serbia's Interior Minister Ivica Dacic pledged on Friday to end the questioning of activists at border crossings.

The session, organized by Serbian opposition lawmakers, highlighted accusations that police had been intimidating demonstrators during protests and specifically targeting activists at border checkpoints.

Other claims suggested that authorities had employed arrests, surveillance, and arbitrary detentions to pressure activists.

After being questioned during the session by a lawmaker who alleged that authorities had compiled lists of up to 300 individuals, Dacic stated that the practice of stopping activists at the border would cease.

"I have requested that these lists no longer be used -- at least as far as the Ministry of Internal Affairs is concerned," the minister said.

Last month, tens of thousands of people flooded the streets of Belgrade to protest the revival of a contentious lithium mine, intended to be a crucial supply for Europe's green energy plans.

It was the largest protest in a series of nationwide demonstrations ignited by the government's decision to reissue licenses to Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, reversing an earlier move to halt the project after widespread protests in 2021.

During the demonstration, protesters blocked major roads and took over two main train stations in the city, temporarily disrupting services. Authorities arrested dozens of activists throughout the course of the protest.

Dacic has consistently supported the police's actions, stating that minimal force was applied on only two occasions out of the nearly 100 demonstrations that have taken place across Serbia since late June.

"The police do not act selectively -- they respond to every violation of the law and do not intimidate anyone," he said Friday.

Serbia possesses significant lithium deposits near Loznica, and the mining project has been a contentious political issue due to concerns over its environmental impact.

Although the deposits were discovered in 2004, the Serbian government suspended the mining project in 2022 following environmental and public health concerns that sparked widespread protests.

However, despite ongoing protests, the Serbian government signed a memorandum of understanding with the EU in July, marking the initial step toward developing the country's lithium resources.