English below
From October 14 to 17, Polekol was part of the delegation of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina visiting Brussels, organized by the European Environment Bureau and the Heinrich Bell Foundation. The series of meetings and events aimed to engage European officials on pressing environmental and human rights issues facing the Western Balkans and strengthen ties between Balkan activists and European environmental advocates. This visit focused on raising awareness of the significant environmental, social and economic risks associated with the proposed lithium mining projects in Serbia and BiH, which, despite strong popular opposition, continue to receive local government support and EU support internationally.
Concerns about critical minerals projects are heightened by weak institutional oversight and the prioritization of private interests over public welfare. The delegation pointed out that these initiatives do not even fulfill the promises of economic prosperity, but contribute to an atmosphere of repression, intimidation and hostility towards environmental activists and critical scientists. The delegation’s assertion that the silence of the EU in the face of violations of human rights, especially civil rights, contributed to the growing distrust among Serbian citizens regarding the EU’s commitment to its own proclaimed democratic values and principles. Delegates addressed topics relevant to the EU’s green agenda and expressed concern that large-scale lithium mining projects, although promoted as part of the green transition, could instead deepen environmental degradation, destabilize local communities and undermine democratic decision-making processes.
The main event of the visit was “The Balkans at the Crossroads: Lithium Mining, Human Rights and the Struggle for Environmental Justice” at the European Parliament. This gathering brought together activists, academics and representatives of civil society who discussed the environmental and social consequences of lithium mining projects. In the opening speech, Sara Mathieu, who was the host, MEP from the Greens/EFA group, emphasized the importance of solving human rights violations and environmental degradation within the EU’s green agenda, not as opposition to the EU, but as a critical reflection on its role in supporting controversial projects.
Among the speakers was Iva Marković, program director of Polekol and co-founder of the Right to Water initiative. Marković spoke about the emergence of the environmental movement in Serbia, which, as she noted, did not arise overnight, but developed through years of resistance to problems such as small hydropower plants, air pollution, coal exploitation, illegal landfills, destructive energy transitions, deforestation, etc. These concrete struggles have encouraged a strong network of solidarity and cooperation within the environmental sector in Serbia.
Marković emphasized that this movement does not have an intrinsic anti-Western or anti-Eastern orientation and that there should be no mystification of its origins due to active resistance to lithium mining projects uncritically supported by EU officials. Foreign companies from China and Canada are already operating and polluting in the eastern regions of Serbia and are equally under the scrutiny and condemnation of civil society. She clarified that the opposition to lithium mining is not driven by global geopolitical agendas, but by the genuine environmental concerns of local communities. These communities, potentially threatened by lithium mining, she said, already embody a sustainable green transition, relying on fertile land, clean water and locally produced food. This connection with their environment and direct concern for their livelihood naturally positioned them as leaders in the fight against pollutants.
Our representative also explained that the repression against environmental activists is happening in the context of non-violent protests in Serbia, pointing out that the gatherings were peaceful and organized without violence and destruction. Marković condemned the escalation of tabloid pro-government media targeting activists, portraying activists as “eco-terrorists”, explaining that citizens turn to street protests and roadblocks as a last resort, only after exhausting all institutional channels – such as petitions, public consultations and various appeals – which are routinely ignored. Reducing the space for the (institutional) work of civil society organizations is certainly not a recipe for the sustainability or stability of the region.
Referring to the dramatic events of this summer, Marković pointed out that the activists were faced with great repression, including 41 arrests and the targeting of 39 citizens’ associations as “foreign agents” and “eco-terrorists” in the media. It is interesting that the EU, despite decades of promoting public engagement and involvement in decision-making, has remained conspicuously absent in the face of recent attacks on individuals exercising their right to engage and exercise their democratic civil rights. Marković suggested that this, along with the unequivocal support for the controversial mining project, could further damage the reputation of the EU in Serbia and beyond.
Other speakers were Diego Marin from the European Environmental Bureau, Vladimir Topić and Zoran Poljašević from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ivan Bjelic, Jevđenije Julijan Dimitrijević, Aleksandar Matković and Jovan Rajić from Serbia, moderated by Johanna Sidov from the Berlin office of HBF. Topić and Poljašević discussed the environmental damage that the exploitation of lithium and other critical raw materials is beginning to inflict on Bosnian ecosystems, giving a vivid picture of the threats the projects pose to sources of clean water and the fertile land that is essential to community life. Activists also shared personal accounts of threats and intimidation they faced, even losing their jobs.
Rajić presented evidence of legal violations and repressive actions surrounding mining projects, explaining that the mining project is already covered by a veil of legal and procedural violations and that there is no evidence that this will not continue. Matkovic spoke about his personal experience of death threats after publishing articles criticizing mining projects. He continued with broader geopolitical implications, such as the role of China, which challenges the EU’s strategic goals for resource separation and diversification. Both Rajić and Matković appealed to the EU to reconsider its support for such ventures, arguing that they incite violence and undermine Serbia’s democratic foundations.
Bjelić and Dimitrijević testified firsthand about the repression, spending 3 days in prison after a peaceful blockade in August, and elaborated on the criminalization of activism in Serbia. Bjelic once again underlined the double narratives from the top of the Serbian state: one for the Western public, which portrays the environmental movement as an alleged far-right pro-Russian agency, while at the same time, for the local public, it accuses the same movement of being Western mercenaries. Dimitrijević presented the findings of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts on the Jadar project, which showed overall negative consequences for Serbian society.
Marin ended the event with a call to action, urging the EU to align its policies with the long-term needs of the environment and citizens in the Western Balkans. His appeal underscored the delegation’s core message that sustainable development must prioritize human and environmental well-being over the short-term economic gains of private companies with extractive portfolios, and, finally, that uncritical support for the Jadar project represents a reputational risk for the EU.
The delegation also held numerous individual meetings with various EU stakeholders and hopefully left a significant mark by raising this topic, strengthening dialogue with EU officials and reinforcing the urgency of environmental justice and human rights advocacy in the Western Balkans. The visit highlighted the complex, often contradictory dynamics surrounding lithium mining projects. There is an urgent and crucial need for the EU to support a truly just and community-centred green transition in the region, as well as to support the people fighting for the values it promotes – democracy and a safe environment for all.
Brussels at the Crossroads of Extractivism and Human Rights
From 14th to 17th October Polekol was a part of the delegation from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina visiting Brussels, organized by the European Environmental Bureau and Heinrich Boell Foundation. The series of meetings and events had the goal of engaging European officials in pressing environmental and human rights issues facing the Western Balkans and fostering stronger ties between Balkan activists and European environmental advocates. This visit focused on raising awareness of the significant environmental, social, and economic risks associated with proposed lithium mining projects in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, despite strong popular opposition, continue to receive governmental support locally and EU support internationally.
Concerns about critical minerals projects are compounded by weak institutional oversight and the prioritization of private interests over public welfare. The delegation highlighted how these initiatives fall short of fulfilling even the promises of economic prosperity, and contribute instead to an atmosphere of repression, intimidation, and hostility towards environmental activists and scientific critics. Adding to the urgency was the delegation’s assertion that the EU’s silence in the face of human rights and especially civic rights abuses has contributed to a growing mistrust among Serbian citizens regarding the EU’s commitment to its own stated democratic values and principles. Delegates engaged with topics relevant to the EU’s green agenda and expressed concerns that large-scale lithium mining projects, while touted as part of a green transition, may instead perpetuate environmental degradation, destabilize local communities and deteriorate the democratic decision-making processes.
The flagship event of the visit was “Balkans at the Crossroads: Lithium Mining, Human Rights, and the Fight for Environmental Justice” at the European Parliament. This gathering brought together activists, academics, and civil society representatives who discussed the environmental and social costs of lithium mining projects. The opening speech by Sara Matthieu, hosting MEP from the Greens/EFA group, underlined the importance of addressing human rights abuses and environmental degradation within the EU’s green agenda, not as an opposition to the EU, but as a critical reflection on its role in supporting controversial projects.
Among the speakers was Iva Marković, program director of Polekol and co-founder of the Right to Water initiative. Marković spoke to the evolution of the environmental movement in Serbia, which, she noted, has not emerged overnight but rather developed through years of resistance to threats such as small hydropower projects, air pollution, coal mining, illegal waste dumps, destructive energy transitions, and deforestation. These grassroots battles have fostered a robust network of solidarity and collaboration within Serbia’s environmental sector.
Marković emphasized that this movement has no intrinsic anti-Western or anti-Eastern orientation, and there should not be mystification of its origins because of actively resisting lithium mining projects uncritically supported by EU officials. Foreign companies from China and Canada already operate and pollute in Serbia’s eastern regions and have been equally scrutinized by civil society. She clarified that the opposition to lithium mining is driven not by global geopolitical agendas but by authentic local communities’ environmental concerns. These communities, potentially endangered by the lithium mining, she said, already embody a sustainable green transition, relying on fertile land, clean water, and locally produced food. This connection to their environment and direct concerns about their livelihoods has naturally positioned them as leaders in the fight against polluters.
She also explained that the repression of the environmental activists is happening in the context of non-violent protests in Serbia, underscoring that the gatherings have been peaceful, and organized without violence or destruction. Marković condemned the escalation of tabloid pro-government media targeting of the activists, with portrayals of activists as “eco-terrorists,” explaining that citizens often turn to street protest and roadblocks as a last resort, only after they have exhausted all formal channels—such as petitions, public consultations, and various appeals—that are routinely ignored. The shrinking space for (institutional) work of the CSOs is surely not the recipe for sustainability or stability of the region.
Reflecting on the summer’s dramatic events, Marković highlighted that activists faced intense pressure, including the arrest of 41 individuals and the targeting of 39 citizen groups as “foreign agents” and “eco-terrorists” in the media. Interestingly, the EU, despite decades-long promotion of public engagement in decision-making, has been remarkably silent in the face of recent crackdowns on individuals exercising their right to engage and practice their democratic civic rights. Marković suggested that this, together with unequivocal support for the controversial mining project, may further harm the EU’s reputation in Serbia and beyond.
Other Speakers were Diego Marin from European Environmental Bureau, Vladimir Topić and Zoran Poljašević from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ivan Bjelic, Jevđenije Julijan Dimitrijević, Aleksandar Matković and Jovan Rajić from Serbia, with the moderation of Johanna Sydow from the Berlin office of HBF. Topić and Poljašević discussed the ecological harm lithium and other critical raw materials mining has begun to inflict on Bosnia’s ecosystems, painting a vivid picture of the projects’ threats to clean water sources and fertile land essential for community livelihoods. Activists also shared personal accounts of the threats and intimidation they faced, even losing their jobs.
Rajić presented evidence of legal violations and repressive actions surrounding mining projects, explaining that the mining project is already covered by a veil of legal and procedural violations and that there is no evidence that this will not continue. Matković spoke about his personal experience of death threats after publishing articles criticizing the mining projects. He continued with the broader geopolitical implications, such as China’s role, which challenges the EU’s strategic objectives for decoupling and diversifying the resources. Both Rajić and Matković appealed to the EU to reconsider its support for such ventures, arguing that they fuel violence and erode Serbia’s democratic foundations.
Bjelić and Dimitrijević offered a firsthand testimony of the repression, spending 3 days in jail after the peaceful blockade in August and elaborated on the criminalization of activism in Serbia. Bjelić underlined once again the double narratives from the Serbian heads of state: one being for the Western public, depicting the environmental movement as alleged far-right pro-Russian agencies, while at the same time accusing the same movement of Western mercenaries for the local public. Dimitrijević presented findings of the Serbian Academy of Science and Art about the Jadar project that had shown overall negative consequences for Serbian society.
Marin closed the event with a call to action, urging the EU to align its policies with the long-term needs of the environment and citizens in the Western Balkans. His appeal reinforced the delegation’s core message that sustainable development must prioritize human and ecological welfare over the short-term economic gains of the private companies with extractivist portfolios, and, finally, that uncritical support to the Jadar project represents a reputational risk for the EU.
The delegation also held numerous individual meetings with different EU stakeholders and hopefully left a significant mark by raising the topic, strengthening dialogue with EU officials and reinforcing the urgency of environmental justice and human rights advocacy in the Western Balkans. The visit underscored the complex, often contradictory dynamics surrounding lithium mining projects. There is an urgent critical need for the EU to support genuine, community-centered green transitions in the region, and to support the people fighting for the very values it is promoting – democracy and a safe environment for all.