First, on Tuesday, the Minister of Mining and Energy, Zorana Mihajlović, stated that there will be no mines in Kosmaj and Avala, that nothing will be done to the detriment of the citizens, and that the news that appeared in the public about it "has nothing to do with the truth".
A few hours later a Chinese company Zidjin announced that she was "giving up further geological research on Kosmaj", so that in the end it was learned from the announcement of the ministry of Minister Mihajlović that regardless of her assurances, the citizens' fears were not unfounded.
Some time ago, Eco Initiative Barajevo announced that there was some digging in the village of Rožanci, in the eastern part of Barajevo, and a document that appeared on social networks confirmed it.
The document indicates the intentions of the mining company Ziđin to carry out research in Barajevo, Sopot and on Vožbovac, that is, on the Avala and Kosmaj mountains. That area has been known since the time of the ancient Romans as a source of lead, zinc, copper and gold.
Minister Mihajlović says that the geological research that the locals and ecologists are talking about was approved in 2012, and that they are "irrelevant", because there will be no research, and, allegedly, there is no investor who can obtain urban planning conditions in this area. "It is untrue that citizens will have a problem because of exploratory wells, as it is impossible for exploitation to occur without a defended study," she added.
However, the announcement of her Ministry indicates that Zidjin has already been approved for research. Namely, the Ministry confirms that it has adopted a decision that "rescinds the previously granted exploration rights" of Ziđin, "for geological research of several mineral resources."
Another proof is the announcement of Ziđin about "giving up" further geological research. The reason for this decision was an analysis of profitability and environmental protection and the impossibility of obtaining all the necessary permits.
One of the members of the Ecological Uprising, Đorđe Miketić, tells "Vreme" that Ziđin has been conducting research in the Kosmaj area for a long time. He adds that this is only one of 200 locations throughout Serbia where research is being carried out and "the ground is being prepared for 70 new mines".
Miketić explains that the Ecological Uprising and the rest of the Green-Left Moramo coalition are working on a "cadastre trovačica", a map that will present all these localities in one place, and which will soon be available to the public. He says that the opening of new mines will depend on "our resistance".
By the way, Ziđin already has several permits for conducting research in several locations in Serbia, but also duplicates the existing capacities of mines such as the one in Bor. Exploration rights in the area of Kosmaj and Avala were granted in 2012 to the company Balkan Exploration and Mining Ltd., they were extended until 2020, and in the end, due to a change in the ownership structure of the original holder, they went to the Chinese company Ziđin.
It is true that exploration permits do not mean that the company will receive mining permits, but due to the agony with Rio Tinto that continues even after the "full stop", it is no wonder that the mention of a new mine has raised fears of a new environmental disaster.
The potential opening of the mine would wipe out Guberevac, Lisovič, Rožance, Arnajevo, Gaj, Ravni Gaj, Karaula, Srednji Kraj, Stražaria, Glumčevo brdo, Nenadovac, Stara Lipovica, Parcane and Babe.
FM/FoNet
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