Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic has signalled his intention to approve Rio Tinto's controversial Jadar lithium mining project, following assurances from the company about environmental safety.
Rio Tinto, the Anglo-Australian mining giant, released preliminary drafts of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on June 13, claiming to demonstrate the safety of the Jadar project. The move has prompted Belgrade to express renewed backing for the project, after revoking its licenses in January 2022 amidst widespread environmental protests.
In an interview with the Financial Times published on June 16, Vucic indicated that the Jadar project would proceed and potentially commence operations as early as 2028. "If we fulfil everything, [the mine] could be opened in 2028," Vucic said, noting the project's capacity to produce 58,000 tonnes of lithium annually, sufficient for 17% of Europe's electric vehicle production.
The anticipated approval of the Jadar project, projected to become Europe’s largest lithium mine, marks a significant policy shift for Belgrade. The government had previously been forced to U-turn on the project following nationwide protests.