Who decides on possible lithium mining in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

(Patria) - Residents of Ozren, especially the villages of Sočkovac, Karanovac, and Kakmuž in the municipality of Petrovo, held a protest rally last month, expressing strong disagreement with the geological research that has begun in this area.

The 'State Coalition' issued a statement on this occasion.

"The BiH public is still not sufficiently informed about the details of this research. The only source is sporadic media reports, which are not enough for us to have a complete insight into what is potentially being prepared for us. Therefore, we rightfully demand answers, as we have witnessed how the insufficient transparency of the Government of the Republic of Serbia regarding the operations of the company Rio Tinto has mobilized the public, which strongly opposes lithium mining in the western part of the neighboring country.

While the public is preoccupied with daily politics and inter-political conflicts, geological surveys are being conducted throughout the BiH entity of Republika Srpska, where precious metals are allegedly being sought. Information has been released to the public that some investments have allegedly begun, and that the Minister of Energy and Mining of Republika Srpska, Petar Đokić, has issued concessions for lithium mining.

As the 'Država' coalition, which works in the interest of all citizens, we demand answers to specific questions concerning the increasingly intensive geological research, as well as the alleged lithium mining in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With full right and on behalf of all people living in our country, we ask whether the company Medeni Brijeg, which is linked to this research and is a sister company of Lykos Metals Balkans from Bijeljina, founded by Lykos Metals LTD from Australia, plans to mine lithium in any part of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina?

We also ask if the establishment of a company like Lithium Mine-Laktasi (Laktaši) has long since prepared the ground for lithium mining? Bearing in mind that the extraction of this metal requires the use of huge amounts of water, which can potentially cause drought during the summer, and that the extraction of lithium from the earth requires a large amount of harmful chemicals that can permanently contaminate the soil, we believe that, before anything else, a public debate is necessary," they stated in the announcement.

We remind that Ozren is a protected nature zone with UNESCO recognition due to its biodiversity, and much more importantly, Ozren is a source of drinking water for the surrounding municipalities of Lukavac, Tuzla, and Gračanica.

"The villages in the municipality of Petrovo, where the research is being conducted, are in the basin of the Spreča River, which flows into the Bosna River in Doboj, and then into the Sava River, which can potentially cause an ecological disaster of wider proportions.
This is not a political issue to be resolved, or already being resolved, 'behind closed doors', but an issue in which the public must be involved. The public, and especially the people living in the wider and distant vicinity of potential lithium deposits, must know under what conditions the research has been agreed upon and what exactly guarantees that lithium mining will not permanently damage their environment, and thus their lives and the lives of future generations," it is further stated.