Ecology Archives - Mašina English

Arresting People for the “Crime” of Protesting is an Abuse of Power, Lawyers Claim

Mašina MašinaAugust 23, 2024

The rounding up of activists who protest against lithium mining is “a blatant abuse of the state's repressive apparatus against its citizens,” according to a statement signed by thirteen lawyers from Belgrade and Niš.

The rounding up of activists who protest against lithium mining is “a blatant abuse of the state’s repressive apparatus against its citizens,” according to a statement signed by thirteen lawyers from Belgrade and Niš.

How activists and locals saved a river in Serbia from a hydropower project

Iskra Krstić Iskra KrstićApril 28, 2023

After a three-year legal battle and 130 days of barricades, the legally flawed building permit for the Besko mini hydroelectric plant on the Rupska River in the village of Dadince, southern Serbia, has been revoked.

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Rio Tinto in Serbia: privatization of natural resources, obstruction of sustainable development

Iskra Krstić Iskra KrstićMay 24, 2021November 12, 2020

A third protest was held near Loznica city against a lithium mine that the British-Australian company Rio Tinto intends to open in Jadar Basin in Western Serbia. Hundreds of citizens protested on October 27 in Brezjak settlement, in front of the branch office of the second largest mining corporation in the world, which plans to exploit world-class deposits of lithium ore – and, according to experts and activists, destroy everything around it. Their concern is heightened by the company's unwillingness to inform the public about the project and negotiate its details with the local community, as well as by the examples of Rio Tinto's destructive actions across the planet.

A third protest was held near Loznica city against a lithium mine that the British-Australian company Rio Tinto intends to open in Jadar Basin in Western Serbia. Hundreds of citizens protested on October 27 in Brezjak settlement, in front of the branch office of the second largest mining corporation in the world, which plans to exploit world-class deposits of lithium ore – and, according to experts and activists, destroy everything around it. Their concern is heightened by the company’s unwillingness to inform the public about the project and negotiate its details with the local community, as well as by the examples of Rio Tinto’s destructive actions across the planet.

Let’s turn dissatisfaction with the existing public healthcare policy into a plan to preserve health and healthcare system

Jelena Lalatović Jelena LalatovićMay 24, 2021November 11, 2020

The political concoction of destroying public healthcare and bad climate policies is deadly. Organizing workers in the public sector and connecting them to social and green struggles is key to preserving health and public healthcare system.

A leopard doesn’t change its spots: how the right-wing advocates for animal rights

Irena Pejić Irena PejićJune 16, 2020

Many right-wing organizations and parties around the world put the fight for animal rights at the forefront of their activities. Similar practice, however, was not unfamiliar during the first half of the twentieth century.

Climate strike march held in Belgrade

Mašina MašinaSeptember 21, 2019

Climate strike march took place in Belgrade last Friday under the slogans: “Wake up and join! The young demand changes!” A few hundred people, most of them young, gathered at the Terazijska česmafountain, demanding climate politics which will keep global warming within the acceptable limits. The gathering was organized by Fridays for Future Serbia and the Serbian Green Youth.

Protest in Serbia against the construction of mini derivative hydropower plants

Mašina MašinaJanuary 31, 2019

An immediate cease of construction of all derivative mini hydropower plants on Serbian territory was the only demand of the anti-MHP protest held in Belgrade on Sunday. Roughly four thousand people gathered at the Student’s square in Belgrade to protest the construction of such hydropower plants in Serbia. The protest was organised by “Let’s defend the rivers of Stara planina” (ORSP) initiative, together with “Savski nasip”, “Right to Water”, “Let’s Not Drown Belgrade” (NDMBG), “Students won’t give away rivers”, and other organisations.

Returning the river to its riverbed, followed by a protest – the struggle for rivers in Serbia has only begun

Mašina MašinaAugust 30, 2018

A few days after locals from the villages in Stara Planina (the Balkan Mountains) and activists belonging to an informal organization called Let’s defend the rivers of Stara Planina returned the Rudinjskariver back to its natural riverbed, they began the preparations for a protest gathering against the construction of mini hydropower plants (MHP), scheduled to take place on the second of September, at the Red square in the city of Pirot.

Private hydropower plants are destroying natural resourses

Robert Kasumović Robert Kasumović, Saša PetrovićAugust 30, 2018December 14, 2017

The social need for renewable energy has become a true frenzy for profit-making among the private investors. Building a mini hydroelectric power plant in a nature reserve can have devastating effects on the ecosystem. We visited Stara Planina, an area where rivers could soon start flowing through the pipes.