25 November 2021

About 2,000 protesters have rallied in Belgrade against government plans to adopt laws on expropriation and referendums that environmentalists say are designed to benefit foreign mining companies...

The draft law on expropriation is to be debated in the coming days in parliament, which is dominated by parties allied to Vucic. The law would allow for expedited expropriations of private property if it is considered to be in the public interest. The draft law on referendums would lower turnout requirements for such votes. Opponents say the expropriation law will be used to advance mining projects that damage the environment, including China's Zijin copper mine and Rio Tinto's plans for...lithium mine in western Serbia...

London-based Rio Tinto, the world's second-largest metals and mining company, is studying possible development of the lithium mine, believed to be one of the largest in Europe...

Rio Tinto says it would respect laws and environmental standards, but environmental groups worry dirty lithium mining will damage the environment. In some areas where mining and infrastructure projects are planned, owners have refused to sell their property and gone to court, demanding higher compensation in legal proceedings that last for months...