GORNJE NEDELJICE, Serbia – A few hundred Serbian environmental activists and local residents blocked roads near the western city of Gornje Nedeljice and a major highway near Cacak in central Serbia, part of continuing protests against the proposed opening of a lithium mine.
The October 19 protests, organized by the Alliance of Environmental Organizations of Serbia (SEOS), concluded without incident after about an hour.
The SEOS said similar actions are set to take place across the Balkan country.
SEE ALSO: Protests Flare Up In Serbian Towns Over Reversal On Huge Lithium Mine"This is just the prelude to the blockades that will happen throughout Serbia," Zlatko Kokanovic, one of the organizers of the protest, told RFE/RL.
Kokanovic said residents of Gornje Nedeljice and surrounding villages would not give up their fight to prevent lithium mining in Serbia.
Locals told RFE/RL that the issue they are facing is "a problem for all of Serbia," not just their region.
"There will be no mine, and I am certain there won’t be," said Svetlana Milutinovic of the village of Korenita, site of a planned tailings dam, where byproducts of mining operations are stored.
She added that the support from citizens across Serbia means a lot to them.
"They are all in the same position. It all starts here, but everyone will eventually be affected," she said.
Protests across Serbia erupted after the Constitutional Court nullified a previous government's rejection of some initial permits, clearing the path for fulfillment of Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic's pledge to ensure the mine complex's completion in western Serbia's Jadar Valley.
British-Australian mining company Rio Tinto plans to create Europe's biggest lithium mine in the region.
Rio Tinto has said the project could provide nearly 60,000 tons of lithium annually and meet about one-fifth of the needs for Europe's electric-vehicle production.
In a statement to RFE/RL, Rio Tinto said that "domestic and international experts have confirmed that the Jadar project can be implemented safely and following the highest environmental protection standards."
Vucic and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS)-led government previously stated that the lithium mine could open by 2028, provided that environmental regulations are met and necessary permits are obtained.
Rio Tinto discovered the mineral jadarite, a combination of lithium and boron, in the Loznica region in 2004, and officials have estimated that the Jadar Valley contains 158 million tons of the ore.
SEE ALSO: U.S. Envoy Touts Benefits Of Mining Lithium In SerbiaHowever, many domestic and international experts say that lithium extraction inevitably leads to environmental consequences, particularly the pollution of water basins and soil.
A U.S. diplomat said on October 11 that a decision on lithium mining is up to Serbia's people, but he said the proposed project is expected to bring economic benefits.
Jose Fernandez, undersecretary for economic growth, energy, and environment, told a news conference in Belgrade that he supports the debate over the project but added he believes the mine project will create jobs and bring Serbia closer to the European Union.