Krunoslav Stojaković, one of the organizers, told media outlet N1 “The protest will be held on October 15 at 5 p.m. in front of a building called Futurium, which is next to the main train station in Berlin. In that building, the German industrialists’ association is holding a congress on the topic of the ‘Sustainable Development of Industry.’ We see this as an opportunity to highlight the contradiction in the German industry’s stance, which advocates for ecologically sustainable production domestically while simultaneously supporting lithium exploitation abroad with all the negative impacts it brings, in this case in Serbia.”
He added that the planned protest is a “gathering of citizens, mostly from Serbia, but also from other former Yugoslavia republics who live in Berlin,” noting that they are “people who understand the environmental and water supply impacts that potential lithium mining in Serbia would have.”
Protests in front of Berlin’s Futurium have previously highlighted the negative consequences of lithium exploitation when such projects were implemented in other countries, Stojaković said. He also announced that other local experts, activists, and people generally concerned about environmental issues would also be present at tomorrow’s protest.
About these planned attendees, Stojaković said: “These are people who, especially in Berlin, are engaged with environmental issues. They are active in NGOs and other organizations focused on the environment. These people are not from the former Yugoslav region, but they are closely following the situation in Serbia regarding lithium mining.”
A discussion titled “Environmental Destruction in Serbia for the Benefit of the German Automotive Industry” was held last week in Berlin. It focused on the contradictions of “green capitalism” in relation to the planned lithium mine in Serbia. The discussion featured environmental activists and experts, including Professor Emeritus Zoran Stevanović and Mašina journalist, Iskra Krstić.
The event was organized by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation from Berlin who stated: “To enhance the raw material independence of Germany and the EU, especially from China, as outlined in the ‘Critical Raw Materials Act,’ potential mining areas in Europe are being increasingly considered. One of the largest lithium deposits in Europe is in the Jadar Valley in western Serbia. It is estimated that 58,000 tons of lithium could be mined annually, with a lifespan of 39 years. Since these plans were announced in 2022, a broad mass movement has formed in Serbia, which has warned of the significant risks it poses to the environment, water supply, and biodiversity. In addition, the event highlighted Rio Tinto’s unjust practices of purchasing land from local farmers to expropriate the land, as well as concerns about the rule of law.”
The organizers of the event posed the question: “In this context, the question immediately arises: in whose interest is this project being pushed? Is it in the interest of Serbia’s economic development and the industrialization of an agricultural region, or is it about securing raw materials for the German and European automotive industry? Is the destruction of the environment, agriculture, and water supply a reasonable price to pay for eco-friendly electric cars?”
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