Protesters filled Serbian capital Belgrade to demonstrate against government plans to adopt laws on expropriation and referendums that are designed to benefit foreign mining companies, warn environmentalists. The legislation would allow for the swift expropriation of private property if it's deemed to be in the public interest.

Opponents of the draft laws say new legislation will be used to advance mining projects that damage the environment, including China's Zijin copper mine and Rio Tinto's plans for a lithium mine in western Serbia.