“The letter clearly states that without the guarantees they would receive today, we will not enter the process of collecting signatures for the people’s initiative,” they stated from Kreni-promeni.

They pointed out that the ban on digging for pine and lithium would be the fulfillment of their last request and that they would continue with the protests until it is fulfilled.

“It is completely illogical that due to environmentally harmful research and exploitation of boron and lithium, a de facto ban is implemented on a part of the territory. As Jadar is protected, we need to protect the whole of Serbia,” the statement reads.

According to them, if the ban were not introduced at the level of the whole of Serbia, the company “Rio Tinto” would have stronger arguments on a possible lawsuit, that is, that they were discriminated against for political reasons in relation to other companies.