Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić hinted at the "re-establishment of order" and the possible suppression of protests over the announced lithium mining, claiming that it is "terror of the minority against the majority" and "a hybrid war waged by the West against the government" in Belgrade, writes the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
The Milan daily states that "the reason for the protests that Serbia has not seen for years" is the conviction of environmentalists and citizens that lithium mining, agreed with Germany and the European Union, would completely poison a part of Serbia and that is why demonstrations are heard as "treason". , with the message: "Our health is more important than your money".
Corriere dela sera indicates that it was estimated that lithium from Serbia would be crucial for the production of electric cars in Europe and the suppression of Chinese competition, as well as that Germany and the EU promised that lithium in the Jadra region would be extracted with the highest possible protection of the natural environment.
However, the report notes that the lithium mining concession was given to "Anglo-Australian multinational company Rio Tinto which cares little about environmental issues".
The Italian paper notes that lithium mining is "taboo even for the fighters for a healthy natural environment throughout Europe", who warn that "with the excuse of a green car, an entire area in the heart of the Balkans would be poisoned".
"Surrounded by the recent election victory and sure that he will win, Vučić is also announcing a referendum to break up the demonstrations," adds Korijere dela sera.
The paper also indicates that the Serbian government's approval of Rio Tinto for lithium mining, which was first revoked and now re-granted, "created a new space on the international stage for the player on the string Vučić."
"Even though it has the best relations with Moscow and Beijing, and even though it had a very fat Chinese offer in its pocket, Belgrade opted for an agreement worth six billion euros with Germany and the Europeans," concludes the Milan paper, with the assessment that this can help the Serbian authorities in approaching the European Union.
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