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Serbia: Environmentalists occupy bridges and highways
Thousands of people blocked a section of the motorway that runs through Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, on Saturday. They had come together to protest new laws that environmentalists believe would allow foreign companies to exploit local resources. The organizer of the protests, Aleksandar Jovanovic Cuta: O-TON ALEKSANDAR JOVANOVIC CUTA: “After this protest today, everyone in power here should know that land, water and air must not be stolen or poisoned from people.” The protesters called for the repeal of two new laws that they believe should primarily pave the way for the construction of a controversial lithium mine. Environmentalists warn that the mine could destroy groundwater reserves. O-SOUND DEMONSTRANT LENA NEDELJKOVIC: “Of course we take to the streets. The environment is the most important political question. Young people must not stay out of politics. Politics is everything that surrounds us – and the environment in particular. That is why we are against Rio Tinto and all other corporations of this kind. ” The British-Australian group Rio Tinto wants to build a controversial lithium mine in Loznica in western Serbia and invest around 2.4 billion US dollars for it. Lithium is a key component in batteries. In addition, the demonstrators are angry about a referendum law passed last month, which is supposed to make it more difficult to protest against environmentally harmful projects. The demonstrations on Saturday in Belgrade and in many other cities in Serbia went largely without incident.
Thousands of demonstrators had gathered to protest new laws that environmentalists believe will allow foreign companies to exploit local resources.