German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said today in Freiberg that the European Union (EU) needs critical raw materials and wants to participate in the exploitation of the lithium deposit in the Jadar Valley in Serbia, stating that it is important to comply with high environmental protection standards.
At a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, after they visited the headquarters of the Saxon Mining Authority, Scholz said that the prosperity of EU countries depends on securing sufficient quantities of lithium for their industries.
“The position of the German government is clear – we need lithium and other critical raw materials, with reliable supply chains. Today we learned about sustainable lithium extraction, while preserving nature and the environment. The idea of sustainability is alive and well in both Germany and Serbia, and the EU wants to participate in the exploitation of this large lithium deposit in the Jadra Valley,” Scholz said.
He said that the German government positively assesses the lithium mining project in western Serbia, as well as lithium mining in Germany, stating that it is planned not only in Saxony but also in the Upper Rhine basin.
“The demand for lithium will be huge, which is why it is important to implement as many such projects as possible in Europe. It is not about competition, but to support each other,” said Scholz after attending the presentation of the lithium mining plan as part of the Zinwald Lithium project with Vučić.
Scholz said that it is important to comply with high environmental protection standards when mining lithium and that, as he stated, a high degree of local acceptance is needed.
“Locals often view such projects with some concern and fear whether they will negatively affect the environment. That is why high environmental protection standards are important. That is why we talked about it and that is the reason for our visit,” said Scholz.
He added that he had “very specific discussions with Vučić and the head of the Saxon Mining Authority, Bernard Kramer, today about how they can expand cooperation.”
“I would personally like to say that I am really impressed by the people from the mining authority, but also by the people from the company itself that is working on it. I see that there is great knowledge, great expertise and competence, that is how trust is built, which is very important for acceptance,” said Scholz.
He said that there are other topics in the cooperation between Germany and Serbia, such as the process of accession of the Western Balkan countries to the European Union.
“There are many things that need to be taken into account here, and President Vučić is actively working on that. We will certainly provide as much support as we can, because these are reforms to improve the rule of law, freedom of the media, and so on. Of course, it is important that people in the region maintain good neighborly relations. This concerns, above all, the relations between Serbia and Kosovo. We are working to provide support to both sides. There is an agreement that has been agreed and that needs to be implemented,” said Scholz.
Vučić: I expect help from German experts in mining lithium and other ores
Vučić said that he expects help from German experts in mining lithium and other critical raw materials in Serbia.
“Today I was able to learn a lot about the history of mining in Germany, but also throughout Europe. Serbia cooperated with Saxony in the Middle Ages on the issue of mining. For me, it was important what Germany’s experiences are and the knowledge that we can gain from German partners,” said Vučić.
He emphasized that it is important for Serbia to use Germany’s experiences in the field of mining and advanced technologies, how to protect the environment and the lives of people living in the areas where the mine is being opened.
“Of course, let’s see what all the consequences it brings, so that we can ensure that the processing itself is carried out in a completely painless manner, as well as the issues of landfills and everything else,” said Vučić.
The Serbian President said he was glad that German officials had also invited representatives of anti-government media to see their experiences in mining.
“I am especially happy that Petar Filipović from Gornje Nedeljice is with us today. He is one of the people who came (to Loznica) to speak against the project and had the opportunity to ask questions and receive adequate answers today. The exchange of experiences and cooperation between our academies is important to us,” Vučić said.
He thanked Germany for supporting Serbia on its European path and the opening of Cluster 3.
“Germany is Serbia’s number one partner. We have additional growth in our trade, which will exceed 10.5 billion euros,” Vučić said.
He added that 80,000 people work in German companies in Serbia and that Germany is largely responsible for the high economic growth in Serbia.
He stressed that Serbia knows its obligations in European integration and that it will work dedicatedly on the rule of law, freedom of expression and freedom of the media.
“We also discussed the situation and relations in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. I hope that in the future we will be able to solve problems through dialogue and I believe that we will fully succeed in preserving stability and peace in the entire region,” said Vučić.
Representatives of Serbia and the EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership in the Field of Sustainable Raw Materials, Battery Value Chains and Electric Vehicles on July 19 in Belgrade, at the Critical Raw Materials Summit, in the presence of Vučić and Scholz.
This was followed by months of protests by Serbian citizens who oppose the exploitation of lithium, one of the critical (sustainable) raw materials.
Photo: Instagram/Buducnost Srbije
