Aleksic in EP: Serbia designated environmental “victim zone”

NEWS 24.11.202217:08
Miroslav Aleksić
N1/arhiva

Head of the opposition People’s Party (NS) MP caucus in the Serbian Parliament Miroslav Aleksic called on the European Union (EU), as a partner, to seriously take into consideration the environmental situation in Serbia because it has become “one of the most polluted places in the world and is facing devastation of the environment and ecology.”

Aleksic was addressing a meeting of the EU-Serbia Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday.

“Everything points to the fact that Serbia has been designated a victim zone, and Serbia that is becoming a mining colony, a dump and a territory for the dirtiest industries will probably not be EU’s partner,” the NS quoted Aleksic as saying.

“We want to be EU’s partner but in a way that is the same as it is done in the EU countries, when it comes to the environment and the rule of law,” said Aleksic.

He explained that 186 permits for mining research have been issued in the past two years, and that mines are planned in 11 percent of Serbia’s territory.

The 2015 changes to the Law on Mining and Geological Research directly benefited the companies that are in the mining business and plan to make profit in Serbia, against the interests of environmental protection, said Aleksic.

He added that the contracts with Chinese companies in Bor and Majdanpek are “fully nontransparent,” that these companies “have completely devastated a part of Serbia,” that Serbian laws do not apply to them and that they “seize land from Serbian citizens and drive them out of that territory.”

Aleksic stresses that Serbia “faces a great challenge,” adding that the question is whether the European Union wants a country that does nothing to protect the environment but works for private interests.

“Mining flourishes where corruption flourishes and this is directly linked with the nonexistence of institutions and of the rule of law,” said Aleksic.

He said the Serbian people have no one to turn to for help, adding that proof of this is the criminal complaint he filed exactly a year ago against Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and ministers Irena Vujovaic and Zorana Mihajlovic for five criminal offenses related to the opening of a lithium mine near the city of Loznica and the decree on the realization of the Jadar project. This project is “absolutely against” the spatial plan of the Republic of Serbia.

“The Government is violating the law, and no one has reacted to this complaint to this day, which shows that the institutions are fully captured and fully under political control,” said Aleksic.

The Serbian Constitution reads that the environment is protected property, everyone has the right to a protected environment and to be informed in due time and regularly of its state, but that is not the case in Serbia today, said Aleksic.