The reinstatement of Rio Tinto's mining licence triggered a new wave of indignation and protests across Serbia. Many environmentalists argued that the excavation would cause irreversible environmental damage to the agriculturally fertile Jadar valley, while offering limited benefits to Serbian citizens, especially locals in the region. Many emphasised the importance of preserving Serbia's
natural resources and ecosystems over short-term economic gains, with Biljana Stepanovic, a representative of the Proglas rights organisation, stating that "we cannot live without clean air and water, but we can live without lithium batteries and electric cars". Locals and business owners feared that the project would pose an existential threat to local communities in the region. One of the environmentalist groups called "Ne damo Jadar" (
English: We won't give up Jadar) strictly opposed the plans and began to set up local protests starting in June 2024. Group representative and local farmer Zlatko Kokanovic stated: The group feared that the resulting landfills and pollution would devastate the ecosystem, poison the river's water supply, destroy agricultural farmland, and introduce toxic particles into the air, causing significant increases in disease and cancer rates. He also condemned Germany's role in pushing the project forward at the expense of Serbian farmers and locals, retorting:
Political opposition Opposition MP and environmentalist
Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta called the approved mining plan "an epic crime against people and nature". He referred to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as a "little American puppet" who was content with displacing the citizens living in
Gornje Nedeljice that "feed Serbia". He further stated: He warned the government that if they did not outlaw the mining operations and future exploitation of raw materials, that the locals would start "a rebellion".
Rallies On 29 July 2024, thousands of protesters gathered in the city of
Šabac, located approximately 50 kilometres northeast of the proposed mine site. Protesters in Šabac marched through the town, with many waving Serbian flags. Demonstrations simultaneously occurred in the central Serbian towns of
Barajevo,
Kraljevo,
Ljig, and
Aranđelovac. In Kraljevo, activist Nebojsa Kovandzic rallied protesters around the claim that the Serbian government was prioritising its interests towards economic and diplomatic opportunities over those of the citizens. Many environmental groups threatened to escalate future protests, announcing plans to block major railroads and junctions in August 2024 as a form of
civil disobedience. == Response ==