- Belgrade, Moscow see Serbian protests against lithium mining as coup attempt
Tens of thousands came out on the streets of Belgrade on August 10 to voice their stance against lithium mining. The rally was set up by the Association of Environmental Organizations of Serbia. The organizers emphasize that the launch of the lithium mine cannot be allowed due to the water contamination threat and potential health hazards.
After the rally on August 10, some citizens blocked two Belgrade rail stations – Prokop (Center) and New Belgrade. However, next day’s morning, the police pushed protesters away from the rail tracks. Three citizens were detained, but after appeals were filed, all were released two days later.
The rally in Belgrade served as a climax of rallies and marches that shook dozens of settlements across Serbia, including small towns and villages, for the past several weeks.
Rio Tinto’s project to open a lithium mine in the Jadar Valley was suspended by the Serbian authorities in 2022 due to large-scale protests. In July 2024, the Serbian government decided to proceed with the project, signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the EU on a strategic partnership on strategic raw materials, battery and electric vehicle production chains for the development of not only the mining industry, but also higher-tech industries. As is known, lithium batteries are one of the main elements in electric car production.
Serbian authorities sees citizens’ protests against the opening of a lithium mine as a politicized stunt aimed at toppling the government rather than protecting the environment.
On the eve of the rally on August 10, President Aleksandar Vučić said Russia’s intelligence had warned him of the mass riots being plotted in Serbia with an ultimate goal of spilling into a coup d’état and overthrowing the legally elected leadership.
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin, during his visit to Russia on August 12-15, noted that Serbia and Russia help each other to prevent “color revolutions” and a violent change of power.
- Serbian government considers BRICS as alternative to EU
Close cooperation with the BRICS nations can become for Serbia a “real alternative” to joining the European Union, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin said during a visit to the Russian Federation (August 12-15).
“This organization (BRICS) demands nothing from Serbia while being able to offer more than we ask. Meanwhile, the EU demands everything from us, but I’m not sure what they offer us. BRICS is our chance and a real alternative. I’m very clear. I’m in favor of Serbia considering all BRICS opportunities and closer cooperation with the nations,” he said. It should be noted that Russia chairs BRICS in 2024 on a rotation basis.
According to Vulin, the Serbian authorities are expecting an official invitation to the XIV BRICS summit, which will be held in Kazan (Russia) on October 22-24.
The statement by the Serbian deputy prime minister serves as yet another proof that rapprochement with the EU is not the only vector of Serbia’s foreign policy.
- Serbia plans to develop cooperation with Iran
Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin of Serbia as a special envoy of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić took part in the inauguration of the newly elected Iranian President, Massoud Pezeshkian, on July 30, also holding a meeting with the new Iranian president in Tehran.
During the meeting, Vulin noted that the two countries share a sincere friendship, and that Serbia is grateful to Iran for not recognizing Kosovo’s independence.
A statement from the Serbian government said Vulin and Pezeshkian agreed that relations between the two countries were based on mutual respect and understanding and that there are opportunities to develop cooperation in various fields.
As mass media emphasize, since 2021, Belgrade has been developing cooperation with Tehran, despite the fact that Iran is a country under European Union sanctions, and Serbia, as a candidate for accession to the EU, is obliged to align its foreign and security policy with that of the EU. In particular, as in the case of Russia sanctions, Serbia never aligned with the EU on sanctions against Iran.
- Montenegro Parliament approves updated gov’t composition including pro-Russian forces
The government included representatives of the radical Serbian and pro-Russian parties, such as New Serbian Democracy, Democratic People’s Party, and the pro-Western Bosnian Party.
The ruling coalition now consists of the Serbian People’s Party (SNP), representatives of the Albanian parties, the centrist Democrats, and the Europe Now Movement (PES) led by Prime Minister Milojko Spajic.
Pro-Russian forces received two vice-presidential and three ministerial posts, while Bosnians sealed a single vice-presidential position and five ministerial offices.
More than 50 MPs supported the Prime Minister’s proposals regarding the reconstruction of Montenegro’s government at the parliament session on July 23. Almost all lawmakers from opposition parties, in particular, the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), the Public Movement of the URA (GP URA), the Social Democrats (SD), and the Croatian Citizens’ Initiative (HGI), snubbed the vote.
The reconstruction of government, as per Prime Minister Spajic, will improve citizens’ welfare, ensure the rule of law, and pace up Montenegro’s progress toward EU accession.
The leader of the Bosnian Party, Ervin Ibrahimovic, noted that “this government and the parliamentary majority can bring Montenegro into the EU, so we are part of this government.”
DPS lawmaker Andrija Nikolic drew attention to the fact that there are no Montenegrin representatives in government, emphasizing that the renewed cabinet is managed from Belgrade and Moscow, and that Andrija Mandic (the leading pro-Russian politician in Montenegro) is a “boss and mastermind”.
The Government of Montenegro after the latest reboot consists of Prime Minister, 24 ministers, and seven deputy prime ministers, five of whom hold only the positions of deputy PMs, and two combine the positions of deputy PM and minister.
Experts claim that the broad coalition involving political opponents has become a “lifeline” for Prime Minister Milojko Spajic, who thus retained power.
- Croatia declares three Montenegrin politicians personae non grata
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia informed Montenegro on July 25 in a note sent to the Montenegrin Embassy in Zagreb that the Republic of Croatia has declared Speaker of the Montenegrin Parliament Andrija Mandic, Member of the Montenegrin Parliament Milan Knezevic, and Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Becic as personae non grata due to systematic actions violating good neighborly relations with Croatia and constant abuse of the Croatia issue in pursuit of domestic political purposes.
“The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs regrets that the majority in the Parliament of Montenegro decided to ignore constant calls from the Republic of Croatia not to take steps that could affect our bilateral relations and Montenegro’s European path. In this context, the actions of the said political figures stand out and cannot be considered benevolent and good-neighborly towards the Republic of Croatia, and neither are they in line with the declared goal of Montenegro’s membership of the European Union,” the ministry stated.
The statement adds that good neighborly relations are one of the key elements of the enlargement process, as well as one of the major criteria for assessing progress on Montenegro’s accession path.
Zagreb’s decision came as a response to the adoption by the Montenegrin parliament of a resolution on genocide in World War 2 camps, including Jasenovac, which was located on the territory of modern Croatia. The resolution on Jasenovac was initiated and supported by pro-Serbian parties and intended to “balance” the Montenegrin delegation’s support for the resolution on the genocide in Srebrenica, which was adopted at the UN General Assembly.
- Post of Serbia offices shut down in north of Kosovo
Three branches of Post of Serbia were closed on August 5 in North Mitrovica, two in the municipality of Zvečany, one in Zubin Potok, and three in the municipality of Leposavic.
The Deputy Police Chief of the Northern Region of Kosovo, Veton Elshani, said the move to close down the facilities operated by Post of Serbia came after law enforcers had received information” that they were operating without a license or not registered at all.
Postal workers who were in their offices at the time were reportedly allowed to take personal belongings, after which Kosovo police seized all paperwork.
Serbs’ party in Kosovo named Serbian List, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Affairs in the Government of Serbia, and Ministry of Information and Telecommunications of Serbia accused the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, of persecuting the Serbs and violating the Brussels Agreement (the deal on the settlement between Belgrade and Pristina under EU mediation).
The European Union called the closure by the Kosovo authorities of the Post of Serbia branches in the north of Kosovo a unilateral and uncoordinated action that violates the agreements reached in the framework of the EU-facilitated dialogue.
Cessation of existing services for Kosovo Serbs without a previously agreed new deal will affect the daily life of the Serbian community, EU spokesman Peter Stano said, calling on the government of Kosovo to reconsider its decision and find a solution to the issue through negotiations within the framework of the EU-facilitated dialogue.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic condemned the closure of Serbian post offices in northern Kosovo, calling Pristina’s actions an attempt to provoke war and accusing “Western powers” and the EU of supporting the Kosovo government. “Kurti’s behavior is an attempt to provoke a war. We do not want war; we want to maintain peace, but he is doing it deliberately, in an organized way, and with the support of some Western forces,” Vucic said.
He called the European Union’s response to the incident “shameful and brazen”, and criticized Brussels for calling for dialogue regardless of the seriousness of Kurti’s actions, suggesting that Europeans seek to downplay the grave nature of the actions taken against Serbia and its interests.
- Serbia’s Parliament passes Declaration of All-Serbian Assembly
The decision was made on July 31.
The Declaration on the Protection of National and Political Rights and the Common Future of the Serbian People, which contains 49 points, states that “the Serbian people are a unique whole” and that “the representatives of the Serbian nation are entitled to refer to themselves as Serbs regardless of where they currently reside.” The institutions of the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska are advised to “act jointly and in a coordinated manner, and make efforts to stop the assimilation of Serbs in the states across the region, as well as around the world.”
The draft Declaration on the Protection of National and Political Rights and the Common Future of the Serbian People was adopted at the All-Serbian Assembly in Belgrade on June 8, 2024.
The document was to be approved within 90 days by the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and the People’s Assembly of Republika Srpska, which supported the Declaration on July 3.
Across the region, the Declaration is considered a “platform” for the development of the “Serbian world”.
- New mayor elected in Albania’s Himare
Residents of the resort town of Himare on the coast of Albania elected a new head of their municipality on August 4.
The early elections were called after Alfred (Fredi) Beleri, a representative of the local Greek community and opposition figure elected in May 2023 for the post of mayor, was detained two days prior to last year’s vote. While behind bars, he managed to win by a margin of 19 votes because his name remained on the ballot.
Beleri was later convicted of buying up votes. The Central Electoral Commission stripped Fredi Beleri of the right to be an elected mayor of Himare right after the Court of Appeal upheld his prison sentence.
The imprisonment of the elected mayor caused outrage in neighboring Greece. Beleri, who also holds Greek citizenship, was nominated in the European Parliament elections by Greece’s ruling New Democracy party and was elected as MEP.
The Central Election Commission says the new elections for the post of Himare mayor, were won by a representative of the ruling Socialist Party in Albania, Vangjel Tavo, an ethnic Greek. He beat the candidate from the opposition coalition “We Win Together”, Petro Gjikuria (also an ethnic Greek) by less than 1,500 votes.
