Overview

• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić met in Freiberg, Saxony, to discuss sustainable lithium mining and its role in Europe's shift to electric vehicles.
• The EU and Serbia signed a partnership in July to extract lithium from Serbia's Jadar Valley, home to one of Europe's largest lithium reserves, to reduce dependence on Chinese imports.
• Environmental activists in Serbia have strongly opposed the project, citing risks of ecological damage, displacement, and foreign corporate exploitation.
• Critics argue that the deal prioritizes European industry over local communities, with activists like Aleksandar Matković facing threats for opposing the project.
• The meeting highlights tensions between EU economic interests and Serbia's internal political and social challenges, including concerns over democracy and press freedom.