Original article (in Serbian) was published on 24/7/2024; Author: Stefan Kosanović
For two days in a row, the web portal Informer published texts about the praises of the Croatian television RTL about the mining of lithium in Serbia. These eulogies, however, exist only in manipulatively edited videos that were first published on the pro-regime X account “Detektor lazi”. In both videos, every word from Croatian television that talks about the negative sides of lithium mining is omitted.
“Croats are furious! Vucic’s plan is coming true – he is introducing Serbia to the EU through lithium, which is the “new oil””, Informer proudly announced yesterday. According to the text of this tabloid, the agreement between Serbia and the European Union on lithium was reported !in an enviable way” on Croatian television RTL.
In the text, as proof of such claims, a video clip from the X account “Detektor lazi” is attached. On a daily basis, the account publishes content that glorify the government and deal with the opposition, and which is then often used by tabloids as a reason to create news.
Thus, one video shared by Informer lasts only 12 seconds and shows two presenters in the studio of Croatian RTL announcing the program. The clip states the following: “Through lithium to the European Union, Aleksandar Vucic’s plan is coming true”. An agreement between Serbia and the EU was signed on the mining of this metal, which becomes the new oil! On this occasion, German Chancellor Soltz is in Belgrade”.
The video ends abruptly, but for a reason. In the continuation of the announcement, the journalist in the studio says the following: “But the story about Serbian lithium for European needs also has its other side – unpleasant for Vucic”.
This report, which was broadcast on July 19, dealt with the memorandum signed by the EU and Serbia, but also emphasized the long-standing opposition of citizens, activists and the opposition to lithium mining in Serbia. The report shows the protests against the excavation, the statements of the protest participants, as well as a short part of the interview with Savo Manojlovic, the director of the campaign “Kreni-promeni”.
The RTL journalist pointed out that due to public dissatisfaction, “Vucic gave up on the project”, but that the Constitutional Court overturned that decision last week and allowed the project to “move on”.
The web portal Informer did not report any of this, and from the text of the tabloid it can only be concluded that Croats are furious that the plan of the President of Serbia is being implemented – not that the people are furious that this plan is being implemented.
“Croats desperate and in tears!”
Informer continues with similar reporting today. They are again sharing the X account “Detektor lazi” and alleged “Croatian praise” from RTL. As evidence, they again use a deceptively edited video. However, with this video, it seems that the creator made much more effort to remove everything that represents the negative side of the lithium mining story.
Today’s show “RTL direkt” was cut several times, and the first cut was made during the presenter’s announcement in the studio. “Everyone is talking about Serbian lithium these days. Serbia will get the largest mine in Europe, which will cover 90% of European needs”, this can be heard in the video featured in Informer’s text.
The part where the presenter speaks critically: “But not everyone is as happy as Aleksandar Vucic, people are afraid of pollution and disease and wonder, if there are no environmental consequences, why isn’t Germany digging?”
Journalist Borko Brunovic’s contribution begins informatively and says that it has been decided that lithium will be mined in Serbia. In his contribution, the reporter emphasizes how rare this metal is in Europe, plays the speech of Vucic during the visit of Scholz, in which the President of Serbia explains how much lithium will contribute to the Serbian GDP, and you can also hear the statement of the editor-in-chief of Auto, moto i sport magazine Kristijan Ticak, who says where all the lithium is used and that the demand has increased.
In the video published by Informer, there is a cut here, just before the sentence: “Demand has increased, but it also has a dark side, lithium mining is not at all eco-friendly – it pollutes the air, soil, water and food, ecologists warn”.
After that, the video shows the recent protests of the opposition and activists, and it is also noted that earlier “the whole of Serbia” stood up against the mining, which resulted in the Government withdrawing the permits for the mining of Rio Tinto.
On the RTL website, the title of this report states the following: “THE DARK SIDE / Germans don’t want to mine lithium in their country, but they do in Serbia: It’s being done in someone else’s backyard because…” This is exactly what is being discussed in the continuation of the show and the question arises, if Germany has large reserves of lithium and a huge automotive industry, then why don’t they mine it?
Although Informer quoted Kristijan Ticak when he spoke about where lithium is needed and how it is in short supply, he was cut off the moment he said that it is preferable to dig “in someone else’s yard” and that it is much easier to do this in a system that it is not regulated and where there is more corruption since this means that ecological manipulations are also greater.
The manipulative clip ends with the sentence: “And while Serbia is waiting for the lithium billions to drip, not a single serious deposit has been found in Croatia”. This is the last sentence of RTL journalist Borko Brunovic, but it is not complete, as he ends his report with: “Happiness or curse, let everyone judge for themselves”.
In addition to Informer, the wb portals Politika, Kurir, Alo and Novosti also published a text based on a manipulative video of RTL’s Dnevnik, which claims that Croats are desperate for Serbian lithium.
MP Vladimir Djukanovic also shared the manipulative video on his X profile, with claims that Croats are crying because they don’t have lithium.
What was the reason for RTL’s reporting?
The International Raw Materials Summit was held on Friday, July 19 in the Palace of Serbia, bringing together representatives of companies such as Rio Tinto and automotive giants Mercedes and Stelantis.
In the presence of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, a non-binding document, the Memorandum of Understanding on strategic partnership between Serbia and the European Union in the field of sustainable raw materials, value chains of batteries and electric vehicles, was signed.
Also, a Letter of Intent was signed with several renowned European car companies, battery manufacturers, financial institutions and Serbian companies.
At the same time, in front of the Palace of Serbia, the political party Kreni-promeni and environmental activists organized a protest. They oppose the exploitation of lithium in Serbia, claiming that it could cause serious pollution of land and rivers.
