On Wednesday (November 24), about 2,000 protesters held a rally in Belgrade to protest the planned requisition law and referendum. They said the government aims to help investors speed up mining projects in Serbia.
The protesters rallied in front of the office of President Alexander Vucic and then marched through the city center.
Serbia is one of the most polluted countries in Europe. If it wants to join the EU, it needs billions of euros to meet the EU’s environmental standards.
In order to accelerate economic growth, Belgrade has provided mineral resources to foreign companies including China Zijin Copper Mine and Anglo-Australia Group Rio Tinto. Although some residents and environmentalists objected, they believed that ore exploration would further increase pollution.
Rio Tinto stated that its US$2.4 million Serbian lithium mine will comply with all domestic and EU environmental standards.
Many areas planned for mining and infrastructure projects refused to sell their properties and went to court to seek higher compensation in legal proceedings that could last for several months.
The draft law on expropriation will be debated in the parliament in the next few days, which is led by a coalition loyal to Vucic. It envisages an eight-day deadline for state expropriation.
“People… will no longer have the right to seek fair compensation in court,” lawyer Bozo Prelevic told the protesters.
Activists said that if the law is passed, they will block major highways across the country.
Vucic, who has been criticized for supporting Rio and other mining projects, told reporters that the law will prevent people from seeking compensation far above market prices.
Activists also protested the draft law regarding the referendum. Vucic said in June that a referendum will be held to let people decide whether the Rio lithium mine project should continue.
