Environmental Organization Stages Blockades in Brezjak, Preljina without Incident

Protest against Lithium Exploitation, Belgrade, Aug. 10 2024 (BETAPHOTO/Milos Miskov)

One-hour blockades of the Loznica-Valjevo major road in the town of Brezjak and the Ibarska Magistrala road in Preljina, near Cacak, organized by environmental organizations opposing lithium mining ended a little after 3 p.m. on Oct. 19 without any incidents.

Speakers told the several hundred citizens present at each roadblock that the people did not want a lithium mine in the Jadar valley and that future protests would combine blockades and demonstrations. They announced that the next protest would take place at a square in Cacak on Oct. 24, followed by another one in Loznica the day after, when the local town hall is scheduled to meet.

Opposition party members in the Serbian parliament were present at both roadblocks on Oct. 19, while activists said prominent members of the Serbian Progressive Party who are against opening the mine, were also there. Among those present at the roadblock in Brezjak were Democratic Party MPs Zoran Lutovac, Srdjan Milivojevic and Dragana Rakic, while Ecologic Uprising MP Aleksandar "Cuta" Jovanovic and People's Movement of Serbia MP Miroslav Aleksic were at the Preljina roadblock.

We Won't Give Jadar Up association representative Nebojsa Petkovic told BETA that the blockades were just a warning, and that opposition to the opening of the lithium mine would be manifested through continued blockades and protests.