After nationwide protests in November and December last year, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stopped a controversial lithium mining project with Anglo-Australian company Rio Tinto. But the protesters vowed to continue fighting on Saturday (December 18).
In recent weeks, Serbia has been shaken by large-scale protests organized by the “Environmental Uprising” and “Begin to Change” initiative, which seems to be the most widespread protest since Vucic came to power.
The demonstrators blocked roads, major highways and bridges in approximately 50 locations in Serbia, expressing two demands. The first is to amend the “referendum law” recently passed by the parliament. The second is to repeal the “Expropriation Law” designed to pave the way for Rio Tinto to mine lithium in the western part of the country.
The protests began on November 28, and the largest occurred on December 4, when protesters stopped traffic on several major highways in Belgrade and blocked the Freedom Bridge in Novi Sad, as well as Niš and Uzh The highways of Cze, Subotica and other cities.
The environmental movement criticized the Vucic government for failing to solve the painful problems of air pollution and environmental protection.
The Association of Independent Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) stated before the December 4th protest that officials of the Ministry of Interior intimidated and pressured journalists. According to reports, in the early hours of the morning, officials visited reporters and newsrooms and insisted that the protests should not be reported.
But the intimidation attempt failed: tens of thousands of Serbs took to the streets and the media reported the incident.
To divert attention, Vucic visited the small village of Gornje Nedelice, where residents were directly affected by Rio Tinto’s plan to open a lithium mine. The pro-government media followed Wuqiqi’s visit to the village and only briefly mentioned the protests.
But despite initially saying that the protests were illegal and funded by the West, Vucic eventually turned around and suspended the controversial legislation.
On December 8, the Serbian government decided to withdraw the law on expropriation from the parliament. The government stated that if the law is introduced again, it will be achieved through a wide range of public debates involving experts and civil society.
At the same meeting, the government proposed to the parliament an amendment to the “Referendum and People’s Initiative Act”, which also aroused public dissatisfaction.
Vucic also stated that he has signed the law on referendums and people’s initiatives, but suggested that the government pass amendments to the law to adopt the words of the European Commission’s Venice Committee. This basically satisfied the main demands of the protesters.
The “Environmental Uprising” along with more than 40 initiatives and movements issued a statement saying that the revocation of “predatory laws” is a good sign, but not a victory. They demand that all lithium mining agreements and memorandums signed by the previous or current government and Rio Tinto be made public and immediately abolished.
“I think this is a great victory for the citizens. We congratulate everyone on the street these days. As far as we are concerned, this means that the main requirements of the protest have been met.” Member Dobrica Veselinovic (Dobrica Veselinovic) said.
On December 16, the European Parliament’s resolution on Serbia mentioned large-scale protests in Serbia, but the Serbian authorities were not satisfied with this.
Serbian Prime Minister Anna Brnabic denounced him as “politicizing” and “spitting on Serbia.” She hinted that the resolution was written in Belgrade and that Croatian members of the European Parliament supported it. Since the dissolution of Yugoslavia and Croatia’s 1991-95 War of Independence, Serbia and Croatia have been EU member states since 2013.
Members of the European Parliament give their voices
On December 16, the European Parliament passed a resolution on human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Serbia.
Members of the European Parliament expressed their deep concern over the increasing violence of extremist and rogue groups against peaceful environmental demonstrations. They condemned the use of force by the police against the protesters and strongly condemned any violation of the right to peaceful assembly.
Brnabić told the pro-government Pink TV that the resolution was initiated by a member of the Croatian European Parliament and Viola von Cramon (German Green Party). In Brnabić’s words, they opened four new negotiations between the EU and Serbia as part of the Belgrade EU The chapter is angry at the alliance talks.
The Prime Minister also stated that members of the European Parliament condemned the excessive use of force by the police, even though, in her words, when environmentalists blocked the international highway, there were no police. She insisted that the police in some EU countries reacted more violently to similar demonstrations.
The “Environmental Uprising Initiative” has organized roadblocks and protests across Serbia over the past four weekends and said it will take to the streets again after Christmas.
They stated in their latest performance in front of the government building on Saturday that the protest will not stop until the main requirement is met: the expulsion of Rio Tinto from Serbia.
Although Vucic made rare concessions and succumbed to the pressure of protest, this does not mean that his seven-year power will be challenged in the April 3 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Vucic’s Progressive Party of Serbia is not in serious danger of losing its majority in the parliament, nor is there any risk of Vucic losing in the presidential election. However, analysts said that the protests may help the opposition to unite and consolidate the situation.
Novi Sad law professor and former Democratic Party chairman Bojan Paitic commented that if Vucic does not abandon the Rio Tinto project that inspires the vitality of the civil society, he will encounter real life in the April elections. The problem.
[Edited by Alice Taylor/Zoran Radosavljevic]
