Serbia eco protests to continue despite backdown over disputed laws, 10 December 2021

Some of the organizers of recent environmental protests in Serbia have called for more protests...even though the government, pressured by protesters, has offered to withdraw the contested Expropriation Law and amend the Referendum Law – seen as easing the passage for an unpopular lithium mine.

Some protesters said they want stronger guarantees that Rio Tinto’s lithium mine will not be granted permission before they call off rallies...

Jovanovic (a leader of the Ecological Uprising movement) said the goal was to ensure the deletion of Rio Tinto’s planned project from the spatial plan of Loznica, western Serbia, which is where the mine should be built...

However, the Kreni Promeni (Go and Change) organization, led by lawyer Savo Manojlovic, said that after the government agreed to withdraw the Law on Expropriation and amend the Referendum Law, there are no reasons to continue protesting at this point...

The government...backed down to demands voiced by thousands of people who had blocked roads and highways for two weekends in a row...