University Professor: Mining Endangers Lives of People in Eastern Serbia

Milijanka Ratkovic (BETAPHOTO/ File)

The fact that the entire eastern part of Serbia is subject to ore exploration rights will not only have a direct mining impact, it will also produce incalculable negative outcomes in terms of local demographics and erosion of cultural heritage and identity for the people who have lived in that part of the country for generations, but most of all it will adversely affect their health, Milijanka Ratkovic, professor at the Nikola Tesla University, said on Dec. 20.

Ratkovic told BETA that, by offering the lowest possible price when buying up land and delaying the adoption of the Spatial Plan, the state clearly signaled its lack of care for the lives of people in eastern Serbia, while at the same time throwing its weight behind the Chinese Zijin.

"Though at first strategic partnership with China appeared to be an enticing and lucrative offer for the financial injections that had for many years been necessary to get the mining industry in Serbia back on its feet, today -- three years into the exploitation of eastern Serbian ore deposits by the Chinese Zijin Copper d.o.o. Bor in the Veliki Krivelj, Bor and Majdanpek mines, it is clear that the company is socially irresponsible, does not follow environmental standards of business and is in violation of the relevant legislation on exploration and exploitation of ore deposits," said the professor, who lived in Veliki Krivelj for 20 years.

Not so long ago, she said, the Batut Institute of Public Health called Bor the black zone of the Balkans, as research shows that the town and its surrounding area has a higher rate of all types of cancer compared to the rest of Serbia.