Zoran Stevanović, a hydro-geologist and retired professor at the Faculty of Mining and Geology, as well as a member of the SANU Board for the Environment, criticized the exclusion of citizens and experts from the public debate on the Draft Strategy for the Management of Mineral Raw Materials and Other Geological Resources. He called it a disgrace and a shame, pointing out that the Environmental Committee had submitted 17 objections warning that the proposed mining projects could cause serious environmental damage.
Stevanović said he was denied entry to the Chamber of Commerce despite registering for the discussion. He expressed disappointment that some colleagues from the Faculty of Mining and Geology, involved in writing the strategy, did so with state support without formal approval from the faculty’s scientific council. He described the process as not a genuine public discussion but a forbidden zone for Serbian citizens.
According to Stevanović, the strategy prioritizes intensive foreign mining investments worth 6.8 billion euros, which would lead to widespread mining activity across Serbia. The strategy gives priority to mining areas over protected nature zones, including valuable water resources. It also restricts public tendering for research tied to future exploitation, leaving most research to be done by foreign investors using basic geological data produced by state institutions with limited capacity.
He warned that the strategy would enable environmentally harmful projects, such as a planned gold mine using cyanide leaching in eastern Serbia, threatening precious spring water sources. Stevanović criticized the lack of transparency and poor announcement of the public hearing, noting that information was only posted late and on platforms not suitable for such discussions.
On the day of the debate, activists and professors were blocked from entering the Chamber of Commerce by private security, leading to confrontations and police intervention. Stevanović condemned these actions and called on citizens not to accept such restrictions on public participation.
