Rio Tinto in Serbia: privatization of natural resources, obstruction of sustainable development

A third protest was held near Loznica city against a lithium mine that the British-Australian company Rio Tinto intends to open in Jadar Basin in Western Serbia. Hundreds of citizens protested on October 27 in Brezjak settlement, in front of the branch office of the second largest mining corporation in the world, which plans to exploit world-class deposits of lithium ore – and, according to experts and activists, destroy everything around it. Their concern is heightened by the company’s unwillingness to inform the public about the project and negotiate its details with the local community, as well as by the examples of Rio Tinto’s destructive actions across the planet.

Climate strike march held in Belgrade

Climate strike march took place in Belgrade last Friday under the slogans: “Wake up and join! The young demand changes!” A few hundred people, most of them young, gathered at the Terazijska česmafountain, demanding climate politics which will keep global warming within the acceptable limits. The gathering was organized by Fridays for Future Serbia and the Serbian Green Youth.

Protest in Serbia against the construction of mini derivative hydropower plants

An immediate cease of construction of all derivative mini hydropower plants on Serbian territory was the only demand of the anti-MHP protest held in Belgrade on Sunday. Roughly four thousand people gathered at the Student’s square in Belgrade to protest the construction of such hydropower plants in Serbia. The protest was organised by “Let’s defend the rivers of Stara planina” (ORSP) initiative, together with “Savski nasip”, “Right to Water”, “Let’s Not Drown Belgrade” (NDMBG), “Students won’t give away rivers”, and other organisations.

Returning the river to its riverbed, followed by a protest – the struggle for rivers in Serbia has only begun

A few days after locals from the villages in Stara Planina (the Balkan Mountains) and activists belonging to an informal organization called Let’s defend the rivers of Stara Planina returned the Rudinjskariver back to its natural riverbed, they began the preparations for a protest gathering against the construction of mini hydropower plants (MHP), scheduled to take place on the second of September, at the Red square in the city of Pirot.