Thousands of people protested in several cities in Serbia against the lithium mining project the Balkan country's government recently signed with the European Union. This was reported by the Associated Press, quoted by News.bg.
Protests took place simultaneously in the cities of Shabac, Kralevo, Arandjelovac, Lig and Baraevo.
The "critical raw materials" deal reached earlier this month could reduce Europe's dependence on China and boost Serbia, which has close ties to Russia and China.
The deal has been fiercely criticized by environmentalists and opposition groups in Serbia, who say it will cause irreversible damage to the environment while bringing few benefits to its citizens.
The largest lithium deposits in Serbia are located in the western part of the country, which is rich in fertile land and water. The multinational company Rio Tinto started an exploration project in the area a few years ago, which caused huge opposition and forced its suspension.
Earlier this month, however, Serbia's Constitutional Court overturned the government's previous decision to end a $2.4 billion mining project launched by the British-Australian Mining Company in the Jadar Valley, paving the way for its revival.
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