German Chancellor Scholz to Sign Controversial Lithium Deal with Serbia Amid EU’s Shift from China

5 months ago

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to sign a deal with Serbia on the excavation of lithium. The agreement has been met with resistance in Serbia. But the EU is keen to pivot its reliance on China for natural resources towards Europe

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Transcript

00:00This quiet region in Western Serbia holds the largest known lithium reserves in Europe.

00:08For years, the Jadar Valley has been a focal point of controversy.

00:13Environmentalists fear lithium mining will ruin the natural landscape and contaminate

00:18the groundwater with heavy metals, posing a risk to residents drinking water.

00:25Back in 2021, huge protests forced the Serbian government to back down on plans to excavate

00:32the lithium.

00:33Thousands filled the streets of Belgrade.

00:36Protesters blocked major roads and bridges and won their case.

00:41British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto had its license to excavate the lithium revoked.

00:50Now that decision has been reversed and Rio Tinto can begin operations.

00:56The company says the mine will create thousands of jobs and produce enough lithium for 1.1

01:02million electric vehicles each year.

01:05The EU wants Europe's electric cars powered by European lithium, as it works to cut emissions

01:12and reduce dependence on China.

01:15And that has produced a change of heart in Belgrade.

01:19Serbia's new deal with the European Union includes a commitment from all sides to uphold

01:24strict environmental and sustainability standards.

01:29But not everyone is convinced.

01:32Protesters have been back on the streets in recent days.

01:35DW spoke to one of the protest leaders, who is a member of the opposition.

01:40Savo Manojlovic accuses the government of ignoring the will of the people.

01:45And he has a clear message for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

01:50Majority of Serbia are against this project because there is very clear evidence that

01:55this will be an ecological disaster.

01:58What people really here want, they want democracy.

02:02Our message is Olaf, leave our lithium and democracy.

02:08On the streets of Belgrade, most people we talked to were also sceptical about the project.

02:15Maybe this agreement will be good, but I don't believe in it.

02:19The European Union might provide guarantees for the project, but we're destroying nature.

02:24It will be done here because everything is cheaper here.

02:28It won't be done in Germany.

02:30Protest organizers say they're not giving up their fight, and have pledged to once again

02:35make their voices heard.

German Chancellor Scholz to Sign Controversial Lithium Deal with Serbia Amid EU’s Shift from China

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