BELGRADE (Serbia), July 15 (SeeNews) – Two Serbian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) said they filed claims against Rio Tinto's local subsidiary Rio Sava and the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) for alleged environmental pollution.
The Drina valley anti-corruption team, PAKT, and the Coalition against Corruption in the Environment filed a claim against Rio Sava with the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Loznica for causing environmental pollution in the Jadar River valley area, PAKT said in a statement.
Leaks of hazardous substances by the facilities for monitoring groundwater levels used by Rio Sava caused significant material damage to the local owners of land plots, PAKT said. In the meantime, the company concluded settlements with several injured parties and thus acknowledged the damage caused to the environment, it added.
Last month, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia is ready to launch a local referendum for the development of the Jadar lithium borate exploration and processing project near the western town of Loznica by Rio Tinto, as the local community's opposition to the project is growing.
Rio Tinto plans to complete the construction of an underground mine at the Jadar lithium borate project site in 2026. Jadar, discovered by Rio Tinto geologists in 2004 near Loznica, would be capable of delivering approximately 55,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium carbonate, as well as 160,000 tonnes of boric acid and 255,000 tonnes of sodium sulfate as by-products per year.
Another claim was filed with the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Kraljevo against CCCC which allegedly committed illegal excavations of gravel needed for the construction of the Preljina-Pozega highway near wells used for the alternative supply of drinking water to the city of Cacak, PAKT noted.
In April, 2020, Serbia signed a loan deal with the Export-Import Bank of China (Exim Bank) for the 450 million euro ($531 million) construction of the Preljina-Pozega motorway section, to be carried out by CCCC. The Preljina-Pozega section is part of Corridor XI - a motorway corridor linking Italy's Bari to Romania's Bucharest via Montenegro's port of Bar and Serbia's Belgrade. Corridor X will connect Austria's Salzburg to the Greek Aegean port of Thessaloniki, passing through Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and North Macedonia.
($ =0.8467 euro)