Protests against lithium mining in Serbia: officials say it's a conspiracy against the president
Kyiv • UNN
Tens of thousands of Serbs protest against lithium mining. The authorities accuse the protesters of plotting to overthrow President Vucic, comparing the actions to the events on the Maidan in Kyiv.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of protesters in Serbia rallied against lithium mining in the country. Meanwhile, government officials say they are allegedly plotting to overthrow President Aleksandar Vucic and his government. This was reported by AP, UNN writes.
Details
It is noted that earlier Vucic said that Russian intelligence services had passed him information allegedly about Western powers preparing "mass riots and a coup" in Serbia to remove him from power.
Participants of the rally in the center of Belgrade chanted: "There will be no mining" and "Betrayal, betrayal".
After the demonstration, some people went to the capital's two main railway stations, promising to block train traffic until their demands for an official ban on lithium mining were met.
Government officials and the state-controlled media launched a large-scale campaign against the rally, comparing it to the events on Kyiv's Maidan. Meanwhile, the organizers of the protest claimed that it would be peaceful.
Our rally today is environmental and has no political ambitions, but the authorities have accused us of trying to carry out a coup d'état. We came here today to raise our voices against something that goes beyond politics,
The demonstration came after weeks of protests in dozens of cities across Serbia against a government plan to allow lithium mining in a green agricultural valley in the west of the country.
