The European Green Party said it is backing anti-lithium protesters in Serbia ahead of a debate in the Serbian National Assembly scheduled for next week. In a statement issued today, the party said tens of thousands of people protested across 50 cities during the summer against a government decision to allow Rio Tinto to extract lithium in the Jadar Valley.
Jadar Valley lithium project and protest activity
The Jadar Valley is described as a densely populated rural area in western Serbia. The area is cited as containing fertile agricultural land and underground water resources.
The European Greens said the project’s benefits would primarily accrue to Rio Tinto while environmental and social impacts would affect communities in the region. The party also referenced violence, detentions, and intimidation reported by activists opposing lithium mining.
Protests against the Jadar Valley project began again in the summer of 2024, after the Serbian government decided to proceed with the project. The initiative had previously been halted in 2022 following widespread protests.
Parliamentary draft law and positions within Serbia
An extraordinary session of the Serbian National Parliament is scheduled for next week, according to the European Greens. The session was initiated following a request from the opposition.
The party said 86 MPs from multiple political parties have proposed a draft law intended to ban lithium extraction. It added that representatives of the ruling majority have already expressed opposition to the draft, indicating it may not be adopted.
EU-Serbia memorandum and calls for legal accountability
Thomaz Waitz, co-chair of the European Green Party, said public consultations should be genuine and that accountability processes should be established before any operations proceed. He also stated that the current Memorandum of Understanding between the EU and Serbia does not provide what he described as necessary legal assurances.
Waitz urged the EU to support a legal framework in Serbia that would hold both Rio Tinto and the Serbian government accountable. He said such an approach should prioritize rights of communities and protect nature and biodiversity.
Critical Raw Material Summit and EU-Serbia agreement
The European Greens cited a Critical Raw Material Summit held on July 19 in Belgrade. The event included German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Vice President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič.
The summit ended with a Memorandum of Understanding between the EU and Serbia focused on sustainable raw materials and battery value chains. The European Greens said many observers viewed it as a step toward advancing lithium mining in the Jadar Valley.