„Jadar project is halted at citizens’ request“

Minister of Mining and Energy, Zorana Mihajlovic, has said that the „Jadar“ project was halted at the request of the citizens, the ministry announced.

As the press release adds, she said that the state would not take any step without studies and consulting the citizens, „regardless of the incorrect information that there is a binding agreement with Rio Tinto.“

She told the Bloomberg agency that the idea presented by president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, about the referendum was „the best solution“ and that, as she added, the final decision would be made by the citizens.

„However, the elections are in three months and every topic is now political, and not environmental, energy-related or economic,“ she said.

She reiterated that there was no contractual relationship between the state and Rio Tinto.

She said that the environmental impact assessment studies were essential, and that she supported the idea that the world’s best experts should talk about them.

„On the other hand, I think we need to know what lithium is, how important it is on a global level, and all the estimates show that the demand for lithium will be 90 times higher by 2040,“ said Mihajlovic.

According to her, Serbia is „the only country in the world“ that has jadarite, a mineral with a special structure.

„We have one type of oil and gold and we need to talk about whether we want to have an entire production chain, from a mine, through a battery factory to an electric vehicle factory,“ she said.

Izvor: Beta

Foto: Beta/Zoran Petrovic