{"id":7430,"date":"2024-09-10T11:41:59","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T09:41:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/?p=7430"},"modified":"2024-09-10T11:45:22","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T09:45:22","slug":"projekti-i-ringjallur-i-minieres-se-litiumit-i-destinuar-per-te-formesuar-te-ardhmen-e-serbise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/analize\/projekti-i-ringjallur-i-minieres-se-litiumit-i-destinuar-per-te-formesuar-te-ardhmen-e-serbise\/","title":{"rendered":"The Resurrected Lithium Minning Project Poised to Shape Serbia\u2019s Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2021, Serbia experienced a significant wave of <\/span>environmental protests<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> that led to widespread blockades across the country. For the first time in a decade, the Serbian government conceded and called off Rio Tinto\u2019s \"<\/span>Jadar Project,<\/span><\/a>\" which aimed to explore and mine lithium.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rio Tinto, a British-Australian multinational company, had been researching the Jadar Valley in Western Serbia, uncovering one of Europe\u2019s largest <\/span>lithium reserves<\/span><\/a> While the company was preparing to start extraction of lithium from jadarite, an invasive method that may lead to high pollution, eco-activists began raising concerns about the project\u2019s potential ecological impact.<\/span><\/p>\n

In response to the protests and growing environmental concerns, the Serbian government <\/span>vendosi<\/span><\/a> to stop all exploration and related activities by Rio Sava Explorations, Rio Tinto\u2019s Serbian branch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, in July 2024, the Constitutional Court of Serbia overturned this decision. Just days later, Serbia signed the <\/span>Memorandum of Understanding<\/span><\/a> on a strategic partnership on sustainable raw materials, battery value chains and electric vehicles with signatures with the EU.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This agreement, attended by high-level representatives from the Serbian government, European Commission Vice-President Maros Sevcovic and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, effectively gave Rio Tinto the green light to resume its exploration activities.<\/p>\n

The revival of Rio Tinto's lithium mining project in Serbia highlights the tension between Serbian citizens and European economic interests, positioning Serbia at the crossroads of European strategic goals and domestic democratic challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n

Serbian Government\u2019s position on lithium mining project\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

The Serbian government has consistently supported the lithium mining project from the very start, taking significant steps to secure its advancement. In addition to resuming the project by signing the memorandum with the EU, the government has taken several unusual actions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, President Vucic has controversily tied his political fate to the project by proposing a <\/span>referendum<\/span><\/a> on his impeachment, rather than on the lithium mining itself, an approach not grounded in constitutional provisions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, Prime Minister Vuceic recently <\/span>marked<\/span><\/a> the International Day of Miners with a video message celebrating Serbia\u2019s mining heritage and future. Although he did not explicitly mention Rio Tinto or the Jadar project directly, the message implicitly endorsed the mining sector\u2019s importance.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps most strikingly, the Ministry of Mining and Energy established a <\/span>call center<\/span><\/a> dedicated to informing citizens about lithium mining and the Jadar project. Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handavic personally <\/span>answered<\/span><\/a> some of the calls for a day, a practice that positions the government as a de facto PR agency for a foreign multinational corporation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Renewed Protests with a Caveat\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Following the official restart of the Jadar project, public discontent surged, leading to <\/span>37 protests<\/span><\/a> organized by ecological groups and activists across Serbia throughout the summer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Protests<\/span><\/a> took place in Belgrade, where tens of thousands of protestors raised their dissatisfaction with the Constitutional Court\u2019s decision and the continuation of the lithium mining project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The protestors also <\/span>blocked<\/span><\/a> the main railway station in Belgrade, a strategy that proved to work in 2021 when ecological protestors blocked major highways and motorways in the country which forced the government to suspend the Jadar project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, it remains uncertain whether these protests can achieve the same success as in 2021. Despite widespread support for the protests, several factors might crucially influence the protest's outcome.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, the explicit support of the EU and Germany for the project complicates efforts to pressure the Serbian government and president into abandoning the project again. The EU, driven by its Strategic Autonomy, geopolitical concerns and trade tensions with China, is keen to secure lithium for its car industry from the neighborhood, avoiding dependence on imports from Africa or Asia.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Second, lithium is crucial for Germany\u2019s car industry which is losing the race with China\u2019s electric vehicles (EVs). The <\/span>European Green Deal<\/span><\/a> also aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieve zero emissions by 2050, making lithium crucial to these targets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Considering the EU\u2019s and Germany\u2019s direct economic and political interests, Serbian protestors find themselves without Western support.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

EU-Serbia transactional relationship<\/b><\/p>\n

The EU\u2019s approach to Serbia is becoming increasingly pragmatic and interest-driven, often at the expense of its core values and democratic principles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The EU has long been criticized for its support for <\/span>stabilitocracy<\/span><\/a> in the Western Balkans, prioritizing stability over democracy by backing authoritarian regimes. In the case of Serbia, it appears the EU is willing to overlook democratic deficiencies in exchange for securing the strategic supply of lithium.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Given the EU\u2019s previous silence on issues such as electoral irregularities and the lack of progress on democratic reforms, it is likely that this transactional relationship will continue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Politico<\/span><\/a> writes that Vucic has already secured support from the West, positioning himself as the EU\u2019s favorite Western Balkan leader. Vucic is seizing this opportunity for a political crackdown on ecological activists. Serbian police <\/span>have arrested<\/span><\/a> several activists, accusing them of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order of Serbia by organizing and participating in anti-lithium protests, with some of them facing <\/span>intimidation<\/span><\/a> by the secret service.<\/span><\/p>\n

New York Times<\/span><\/a> writes the lithium project has become a proxy battleground in the West\u2019s efforts<\/span> to extract the country from the influence of Russia and China.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While Vucic enjoys support from both the EU and the US, China and Russia are attempting to <\/span>frame<\/span><\/a> ecological activists as instigators of a \u201dcolor revolution\u201d and a threat to Serbia\u2019s political order.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The lithium mining project has become a highly sensitive socio-political issue in Serbia, deeply polarizing the society. The future outcome of protests remains to be seen, but one thing is clear, the EU\u2019s transactional behavior is strictly focused on its interests, completely neglecting democratic standards and Serbian citizens\u2019 demands on this issue.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The EU has found an ally in Vucic, who is likely to use this opportunity to solidify its position and continue cracking down on any form of opposition.<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

M\u00eb 2021, Serbia u p\u00ebrball me nj\u00eb val\u00eb t\u00eb madhe t\u00eb protestave p\u00ebr mjedisin, q\u00eb \u00e7uan n\u00eb shtrirjen e bllokadave n\u00eb t\u00ebr\u00eb vendin. P\u00ebr her\u00eb t\u00eb par\u00eb n\u00eb nj\u00eb dekad\u00eb, Qeveria e Serbis\u00eb u dor\u00ebzua dhe anuloi \u201cProjektin Jadar\u201d t\u00eb Rio Tinto-s, q\u00eb synonte eksplorimin dhe nxjerrjen e litiumit. Kompania multinacionale britaniko-australiane, Rio Tinto, ka […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":7433,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[624,1110,971,1057],"ppma_author":[25],"class_list":["post-7430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-analize","tag-kryesore","tag-miniera-e-litiumit","tag-serbi","tag-vucic"],"authors":[{"term_id":25,"user_id":15,"is_guest":0,"slug":"milos-pavkovic","display_name":"Milo\u0161 Pavkovi\u0107","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MP_cropped-150x150-1.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MP_cropped-150x150-1.jpg"},"user_url":"","last_name":"Pavkovi\u0107","first_name":"Milo\u0161","description":"Milo\u0161 Pavkovi\u0107 \u00ebsht\u00eb nj\u00eb shkenc\u00ebtar politik me specializim n\u00eb rajonin e Evrop\u00ebs Juglindore, politik\u00ebn krahasuese, regjimet hibride dhe politik\u00ebn e BE-s\u00eb. Studimet bachelor dhe master p\u00ebr shkenca politike i kreu n\u00eb Universitetin e Beogradit. Ai kaloi nj\u00eb vit n\u00eb Universitetin e Grazit si student n\u00eb Erasmus dhe mbrojti tez\u00ebn e magjistratur\u00ebs (De)konsolidimi i shtet\u00ebsis\u00eb s\u00eb Kosov\u00ebs n\u00eb kontekstin e negociatave bashk\u00ebkohore nd\u00ebrmjet Qeverive t\u00eb Kosov\u00ebs* dhe Serbis\u00eb. Ai kreu masterin e dyt\u00eb n\u00eb shkencat politike n\u00eb Universitetin e Evrop\u00ebs Qendrore (CEU). Ai \u00ebsht\u00eb bashk\u00ebautor i publikimit Elementet kryesore t\u00eb nevojshme p\u00ebr p\u00ebrparimin n\u00eb normalizimin e marr\u00ebdh\u00ebnieve nd\u00ebrmjet Kosov\u00ebs dhe Serbis\u00eb. Milo\u0161 aktualisht \u00ebsht\u00eb i pun\u00ebsuar si studiues n\u00eb Qendr\u00ebn e Politikave Evropiane (CEP), Beograd dhe sh\u00ebrben si Ambasador i Ri i Evrop\u00ebs n\u00eb Ballkanin Per\u00ebndimor."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7430","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7430"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7430\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7431,"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7430\/revisions\/7431"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7430"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7430"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7430"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbunker.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=7430"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}