According to a statement from the European Commission, the Government of Serbia and the European Commission have recently entered into a letter of intent to establish a strategic alliance focused on batteries and crucial raw materials, such as lithium. This development, which was reported by Serbian media outlet Demostat, has generated significant controversy among environmental activists and residents residing in regions of Serbia impacted by lithium exploration. It is noteworthy that opposition to mining ventures is not exclusive to Serbia, as similar challenges are being encountered within the European Union.
Serbia entered into a strategic partnership agreement with the European Commission, specifically pertaining to the exploitation of lithium. However, despite facing significant opposition domestically as a result of prolonged controversies spanning over two years, the authorities have chosen to refrain from addressing their decision publicly.
For a period of more than two years, members of the Association of Environmental Organizations of Serbia (SEOS) and concerned citizens have been actively resisting the exploration of lithium and the implementation of mining and processing initiatives.
On September 22, Serbia and the European Commission entered into a letter of intent to establish a strategic partnership focusing on batteries and critical materials, such as lithium. This collaboration was reported by Serbian research and media organization, Demostat.
The article states that Serbia is aligning its laws with those of the European Union as part of its candidacy for membership, according to the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW). This alignment encompasses various mining projects.
The commission expressed its support for the establishment of processing facilities at the extraction sites, as conveyed to the website. However, this policy has faced criticism from various independent experts who contend that it constitutes a form of environmentally detrimental technology.
The CRMA, a legislative proposal, seeks to expedite the processes involved in mining projects and give preference to the extraction and refining of a set of thirty essential minerals.
A petition was initiated in opposition to this policy, contending that its implementation would precipitate a substantial proliferation of mining activities within the European Union, as well as in foreign territories.
Activists have urged the European Parliament and mining ministers in member states to oppose the legislation, asserting that it infringes upon fundamental human and environmental rights. The petition was initiated by Salvemos la Montaña from Spain, Não às Minas from Portugal, Marš sa Drine (a member of SEOS) from Serbia, OPSAL from Chile, and Earth Thrive from the United Kingdom and the Balkans.
The SEOS association expresses strong disapproval of the letter of intent, arguing that individuals who remain silent or only offer minimal responses to such matters are complicit in the colonization of Serbia alongside the current regime. They emphasize that, apart from themselves as local activists with genuine intentions towards the nation, everyone else remains silent. Their sincere efforts are aimed at preventing Serbia from becoming a colony and a location for Europe’s waste disposal.
