The CEO of Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto, Jakob Stausholm, aimed to ease concerns during his visit to Serbiaon Saturday regarding the company’s controversial lithium mining project. Serbia boasts significant lithium reserves near the western town of Loznica, but the project has faced ongoing political and environmental opposition.
Stausholm met with local residents in Ljubovija alongside Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and promised to protect both the environment and the local population. “The biggest challenge for us is to win the trust of you who live here,” Stausholm said, emphasizing the company’s commitment to safety and environmental protection, including the safeguarding of water, soil, and natural habitats.
President Vucic is on a five-day tour of the region where the mine would be located, engaging in discussions with local communities. He acknowledged the difficulty of the talks but expressed optimism for a productive dialogue.
In July, Serbia’s top court overturned an earlier government decision that had halted the project following large-scale protests in 2021. This ruling reignited demonstrations across the country, with the largest in early August drawing tens of thousands to the streets of Belgrade, where key roads and train stations were blocked. Despite the ongoing unrest, the Serbian government signed a memorandum of understanding with the EU in July, marking the first step toward developing the country’s lithium resources.
