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Svetlana Smiljanić, member of the executive board of Wiener Städtische Insurance

Ready for Future Challenges

„It is advantageous to be part of a large family, especially one with such a long tradition, reputation and strength as VIG, which currently...

Bojana Perić, Ekostar Pak General Manager

Recycling is an Opportunity

In the 14 years since its founding, Ekostar Pak has gained the trust of more than 840 companies, with in excess of 798,000 tons...

Novomatic Serbia

Fusing Tradition and Innovation with a Future Vision

NOVOMATIC AG stands out as one of the leaders of the global gaming industry. Founded in 1980 by Professor Johann F. Graf in the...

Pinar Yalcinkaya, MPC Properties CEO

Driving Impact through Innovation and Service Excellence

At MPC Properties, we’ve concentrated on using strategic planning and innovation to maintain our position as industry leader in the commercial real estate sector,...

Miloš Škorić, Gorda Director

Gorda Unites and Connects

“For three decades, we have been working and creating something good – not just for the awards, but primarily for the emotion. We respect...

Zoran Stojiljković Ph.D., Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade

Protests Require a Clear Political Strategy

Reactive protests only yield real change if they develop into a coordinated and proactive movement for change that unifies social and political demands

With regard to the potential of protests to achieve change, one of the most influential claims of the last decade is the so-called Chenoweth-Stephan hypothesis of 3.5%. Based on research covering hundreds of protests, the two authors argue that the active participation in protests of more than 3.5% of the total population leads to change in the political powerholders.

The recent anti-lithium exploitation protests that were held during the summer holiday season, and in scorching temperatures, show how the mass nature of these protests satisfies that “technical” criterion.

The key reason for this mass participation is the fact that the pro-European and national democratic oppositions have found themselves on the same anti-lithium exploitation front, or that this issue of ecological security and sovereignty prompted interest and revolt in a broad social arch ranging from rural folk to academics. Apart from apparent organisational problems, the fact that these protests are being led by environmental associations and not opposition parties has added an important “jargon of authenticity” dimension to them, as well as reducing the risk of splits and mutual rivalries among the protest organisers and participants.

This sheer amount of ire and revolt is also a result of the fact that the regime fraudulently brought lithium mining back into play – after seeming to retreat in the face of the previous wave of protests, once again through a story of huge economic benefits, and with a swift decision of the otherwise famously slow and incompetent Constitutional Court to cancel the Government’s previous unconstitutional decision. What’s new is the agreement on strategic raw materials with Germany, which is intended to show that, apart from China and Russia, the EU will also get its share in the exploitation of strategic natural resources. This agreement was also viewed as a kind of indulgence to compensate for the sins of the East and the regime going it solo. The public was almost undivided in its negative response to the agreement, which it perceived as new evidence of the hypocrisy of the political West.

Still, even if relatively successful, reactive protests only yield real change if they develop into a coordinated and proactive movement for change that unifies social and political demands, or that harmonises persistent protests with a political strategy that can successfully rival the government’s counter-strategy.

Vučić’s spin and redirection of attention is already resulting in the raising of the issue of a referendum on public confidence in him, which – facing the prospect of losing power – should discipline many of his voters who otherwise favour a ban on lithium mining. In parallel with this, the leader is once again descending to speak to the nation, because populists don’t like mediators between themselves and their people, and expressing deep concern in promising a swift, non-institutional solution to his life problems. There is no alternative to him and his promised “quantum leap into the future” – at least while he holds all the levers of power.

Finally, if he can gain nothing else, he will at least buy time by restoring the hope of eco-realists that there will be no lithium exploitation until it is environmentally safe.

We will see in September whether the opposition has a unified and convincing response.

By Mirko Dautović

Sailing Stormy Waters

The name of the next resident of the White House will matter a lot in terms of global politics. However, more importantly, the U.S....

Dr Jonel Subić, Ph.D., Director of the Institute of Agricultural Economics (IAE), Belgrade

Using Resources Intelligently

As is the case in many other areas, the greater participation of clean technologies and innovations, optimal use of resources and improving health conditions...

Danijela Božanić, meteorologist

We’re Lacking Plenty

Viewed globally, the state and availability of water resources is acknowledged as the sector hardest hit by climate change. The National Adaptation Programme (NAP)...

Dipl. Ecc. Vesna Nešković, International Relations Officer, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad

Reaching Optimal Solutions through Research

Our response is the ClimaPannonia project, which tests climate-resilience solutions in four sectors of agriculture and scales them across the Pannonian Plain for broader...

Office for IT and e-Government Introduces New eSeal Cloud Service

The Office for Information Technology and e-Government has introduced eSeal in the cloud, a new service that allows public...

Denmark Encourages Serbia on Its Path to EU Membership

The expansion of the European Union is one of the priorities for the coming period, stated Denmark's Minister for...

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala Opens Czech House in Belgrade

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala opened the Czech House in Belgrade during an official visit to Serbia, highlighting that...

Belgrade to Host Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit in December

Belgrade will host the major Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) summit on December 3rd and 4th, where discussions...

Giaufret States it’s Time to Intensify Reforms in Serbia

Serbia has confirmed that EU membership is its strategic goal, said the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia,...

Belgrade to Host Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit in December

Belgrade will host the major Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) summit on December 3rd and 4th, where discussions...

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk: EU is not complete without Serbia

Poland supports Serbia’s European path, and the European Union is not complete without Serbia, stated Polish Prime Minister Donald...

Montenegro Bans Single-Use Plastics Under New Law

In accordance with the Waste Management Law, Montenegro has officially banned plastic bags and single-use plastics as of this...

Serbia Cuts Shadow Economy by Over a Quarter in a Decade, Driven by Digital Reforms

Over the past decade, Serbia has significantly reduced its shadow economy, lowering it from 29.1% to 21.1% of GDP,...

Claudia Sheinbaum Sworn In as Mexico’s First Female President

In a historic moment for Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum has been sworn in as the country's first female president, marking...

Belgrade to Host Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit in December

Belgrade will host the major Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) summit on December 3rd and 4th, where discussions...

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk: EU is not complete without Serbia

Poland supports Serbia’s European path, and the European Union is not complete without Serbia, stated Polish Prime Minister Donald...

Montenegro Bans Single-Use Plastics Under New Law

In accordance with the Waste Management Law, Montenegro has officially banned plastic bags and single-use plastics as of this...

Serbia Cuts Shadow Economy by Over a Quarter in a Decade, Driven by Digital Reforms

Over the past decade, Serbia has significantly reduced its shadow economy, lowering it from 29.1% to 21.1% of GDP,...

Claudia Sheinbaum Sworn In as Mexico’s First Female President

In a historic moment for Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum has been sworn in as the country's first female president, marking...
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