The Facts

• On Saturday, tens of thousands of protesters went through Belgrade, Serbia, to protest plans to mine one of Europe's largest lithium resources in the Jadar Valley, which activists warn would cause permanent ecological damage.Tens of thousands of protesters went through Belgrade, Serbia on Saturday to protest plans to mine the Jadar Valley, one of Europe's largest lithium deposits, citing concerns over potential ecological damage.

• In 2022, protests stopped the lithium mine, but a deal with the EU on "critical raw materials" last month revived Rio Tinto's mining plans to drastically reduce Europe's lithium shortages, which are essential for EV batteries and Europe's green energy transition.This is reminiscent of protests that successfully stopped the plan to mine lithium two years ago, and comes as a tentative deal with the EU on "critical raw materials" last month revived mining plans in Serbia.

• Serbia aspires to EU membership and maintains close ties with both Russia and China. President Aleksandar Vucic said he had received Russian intelligence that the protests were politically motivated and that undisclosed Western powers had planned "mass unrest" to bring down the government.Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said that 14 people were taken for questioning following attempts to block train stations and a highway. Earlier, two protest leaders were cautioned that moves to obstruct traffic would be considered unlawful.