Serbia investigates coup plot amid protests over lithium mining
President Aleksandar Vučić revealed that, according to information provided by Russian services, a coup is being prepared in Serbia. "The relevant services are investigating the reports," he said on N1 television.
5:14 AM EDT, August 11, 2024
"Those who want to achieve some goals by force are making a mistake. Serbia is developing, and no one can stop this," emphasized the Serbian president, among other things, reacting to the ongoing protests in the country.
Deputy Prime Minister on protests
Aleksandar Vulin, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, compared the protests against the planned opening of a lithium mine, which have been ongoing for over two weeks, to previous color revolutions that have taken place in various European countries.
"This is a classic scenario of color revolutions. We have seen this more than once; we have seen this in Ukraine. This is an attempt at a new Maidan, and you can be 100 percent sure of it," stated Vulin, blaming "Western services" for involvement in organizing these demonstrations.
Restarting the Jadar project
The protests were triggered by the Serbian government's decision to resume the Jadar project, which includes the exploitation of lithium deposits by the international company Rio Tinto. This project was halted in 2022 after mass protests by the population.
On July 19, an agreement was signed in Belgrade between Serbia and the European Union regarding a strategic partnership in the field of sustainable raw materials, battery production, and electric vehicles.
President Vučić announced that Serbia plans to start lithium mining in 2028. The upcoming results of the strategic partnership may reveal the full potential of Serbia's deposits, located in the western part of the country and considered some of the largest in Europe.
