Brussels, 29 September 2026, dtt-net.com – It’s more than 2 years since the European Union signed with Serbia government – controlled by now former President Aleksandar Vucic – for the massive lithium extraction in Loznica village, battery manufacturing and European electric vehicles production in the EU candidate country, but the announced project remains still a dead paper amid resistance of citizens against it because of environmental concerns of lithium processing in the arable area in the west of the country.
The British-Australian company which discovered huge lithium reserves already in 2004, and which represent up to 26 percent of EU automotive industry needs annually, has earlier in November last year put on hold its exploration activities as the government is fearing permitting for further works planned would provoke new massive protests in the country, starting with Loznica citizens, environmentalist, opposition and students, with the latter being main opponents in October 25 early elections.
The stalled project, pushed by the EU Commission, Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, Serbian leadership and the Rio Tinto company, is opposed by two-third of population, according to the survey of June last year.
61,9 percent of Serbia citizens are against the project which is but stalled so far amid political uncertainties and ongoing anti-government protests, according to a survey of June.
Following the MoU on lithium and for related chain of production in Serbia Serbia signed in July 2024, the EC and Serbia’s government were planning to develop an implementation roadmap by February 2025 but despite drafts exchanged by the two sides, there still no final version of the roadmap on the table since.
EU sources familiar with the matter say that the cause of delay relates to the ongoing crisis in the country marred by daily widespread protests of students and citizens against the Vucic and his Progressive Party (SNS) which he controls, which now has led to the early election of next month.
Vucic is running for prime minister post, hoping to continue ruling for another four years, as he cannot run for presidential third term, because of constitutional rules.
Serbian officials I November 2025 said that the government will make its final decision on the project based on the findings of environmental impact assessment expected to be made in 18 months, but 10 months latter nothing has been announced on the state of play with the assessment since.
“Currently the project is undergoing the environmental impact assessment. we will probably have results of environmental impact assessment in about 18 month and with that in mind we will basically make a final decision on whether to proceed or not,” said the former prime minister and current Speaker of Serbia’s Parliament, Ana Brnabic, in a forum held in Paris in late October 2025.
Vucic has earlier said that the fate of the project will be known after early elections.
The EU Commission today had no answer when asked about the future of the MoU of 2024, and a spokesperson said that the EC “remains in contact” with Rio Tinto…
