‘Bad Blood’ Stalks a Lithium Mine in Serbia. A Rio Tinto mine that Europe sees as a critical source for electric vehicle batteries has been the target of enormous protests. “I don’t need green cars. I need green apples and green grass,” said one opponent.

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1. >The proposed mine in Serbia has not only provoked fury among farmers, environmental activists and ordinary citizens, it also has become a proxy battleground in the West’s efforts to extract the country from the orbits of Russia, its traditional ally, and China.

   >…Among those taking part in recent nationwide demonstrations against Rio Tinto have been leaders of People’s Patrol, an ultranationalist group aligned with Moscow. Social media accounts known for spreading Russian disinformation have been active in promoting horror stories about the planned lithium mine.

   >But leftists and middle-of-the-road pro-Europeans have also joined the protests, chanting opposition to a project that has become a lightning rod for diverse grievances against the government.

   >“He sold out Kosovo but is not going to take away our clean water,” read a sign denouncing Mr. Vucic that was held by Angela Rojovic, 25, at a recent protest in Belgrade, the capital. She said the president had not done enough to defend the interests of
   Serbs living in mainly ethnic Albanian Kosovo.

   >And she said Mr. Vucic was sacrificing Serbia’s environment to serve Europe’s climate goals. “I don’t need green cars,” she said. “I need green apples and green grass.”

   >…Mr. Karajcic, the district head, said he was infuriated by German assurances that the mine would be safe, recalling Nazi atrocities in a nearby town in 1941 that the Germans had promised would be left unhurt.

   >He said his great-grandfather fought nearby against Austrian troops during World War I. “He fought to keep our land, and now I’m supposed to give it away to Rio Tinto. No way,” he said. “There is a lot of bad blood in these hills.”