The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, announced on Thursday that lithium mining in the country will not proceed until guarantees are received from the world’s top experts.
In a national address, Vučić emphasized that no changes or lithium mining activities will take place until Serbia receives assurances from the best domestic and international experts, according to the Sarajevo Times.
Last month, Serbia, the European Union, and Germany signed agreements giving EU members and major European carmakers exclusive access to Serbian lithium. These agreements, focusing on sustainable raw materials and battery supply chains, were signed just a week after Serbia’s top court ruled that Belgrade’s decision to revoke Rio Tinto’s licence for the $2.4 billion Jadar lithium project in 2022 was unconstitutional.
“There will be no digging, no changes in the field. Until we secure all guarantees, nothing will happen in the next 12 to 18 months,” Vučić stated.
He added, “They deceive you every day. They lie to you every day. We must gather all the documentation and invite the best experts from abroad, as well as the best Serbian environmental protection experts, to ensure absolute safety for everyone.”
Thousands of people protested across Serbia on Monday against the lithium project and the recent agreement with the European Union. Demonstrations took place in towns such as Šabac, Kraljevo, Aranđelovac, Ljig, and Barajevo.
If completed, the Jadar project would become Europe’s largest lithium mine, producing 58,000 tonnes of refined battery-grade lithium carbonate annually, enough to power one million electric vehicles and meet 90% of the continent’s current lithium needs. The project would also elevate Rio Tinto to one of the world’s top 10 lithium producers.
