Environment Energy Mining Watch SEE|News|Citizens and activists oppose the lithium mine near Valjevo, Serbia

Citizens and activists oppose the lithium mine near Valjevo, Serbia

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In a public address to the mayor, members of the City Council, councilors of Valjevo, activists of the Initiative “EKOlubarska bitka” expressed concern over the information that a lithium mine could be opened in Valjevo, as well as the fact that research has already begun The Ministry of Mining and Energy “did not officially announce on this issue.”

“Thanks to an interview with Alexander Palkovski, vice president of Euro Lithium, published on the Innovation News Network portal, we learned that significant lithium reserves have been found in our area. Palkovski stated that the imprint of the Valjevo deposit is eight kilometers long and four kilometers wide, and that it is one of the largest lithium deposits in the world in terms of its size. But that’s not the end! On that page of the British portal dedicated to innovations, the people of Valjevo who happened to be there can find out that Valjevo is one of the largest known sites of borate in the world, which Palkovski calls a ‘heroic slave’ for reasons unknown to us, the Initiative EKOlubarska bitka said.

In particular, they stated that the Vice President of Euro Lithium promoted Valjevo in search of potential investors for the lithium and borate mine, saying: how the mining industry can make a key contribution to meeting global ambitions and sustainable development goals”.

“EKOlubarska bitka” rejects “flattery” and emphasizes the fear of the citizens of Valjevo “because what is a raw material for the world for the transition to green energy, for the people of Valjevo is the devastation of nature and the environment.” The authorities warn that they will not allow a mine of 32 square kilometers to be opened on the coast of Kolubara and at the foot of Maljen, where the Divčibare air spa lies.

Particular dissatisfaction of citizens is caused by the fact that local self-government does not react, and the Ministry of Mining and Energy does not respect international agreements signed by the state of Serbia, such as the Law on Ratification of the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision Making and the Right to Legal Protection. environmental protection, which states in Article 6, paragraph 4, that the obligation of the state of Serbia for projects of high environmental impact to enable public participation at an early stage, when options are still open and when effective public participation can take place.

“History teaches us that whenever uninvited guests came to Kolubara to take part of the territory through which it flows for centuries, they left it without salt or bread. There is no reason for it to be different now. But, history also warns us how those who helped them did in the past!”, The statement said, calling on the city authorities to publicly state their position on Euro Lithium’s intentions to bring mining companies to Valjevo to exploit lithium and borate in the long run. and present Euro Lithium research reports to citizens.

Source: danas.rs

 

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