An increasing number of concerned intellectuals and activists have signed an open letter in support of Aleksandar Matković, who has been receiving death threats for his research on and opposition to the Rio Tinto lithium mining project in Serbia’s Jadar Valley. Temporarily defeated in 2022, when the courts cancelled it, the project is being once again rammed through by the Serbian government, EU, and commercial interests. We are publishing the full text of the open letter below, initially published on the Transnational Institute web site.

We are extremely concerned about reports that Aleksandar Matković, a research associate at the Institute of Economic Sciences in Belgrade, has faced online surveillance, intimidation and death threats after his critical analysis of plans to mine one of Europe’s largest deposits of lithium in Serbia was published in a respected daily.

The mining project, developed by the British-Australian mining company Rio Tinto, has caused huge controversy. Mass protests have erupted across the country over concerns the mine would do untold ecological damage to a populated agricultural region which sits on a significant underground water reservoir.

Matković has faced escalating death threats on his Telegram profile. One came from a location a mere 500 metres away, while another threatened him and his family, referring to personal details not in the public domain. Matković received further threats when online, but not offline, indicating his internet activity was being monitored.

Although he reported these threats to the police, it took no action. On facing media scrutiny, it denied knowledge of his complaint, but then admitted this was false, saying they would seek out the perpetrators. However, the repression has spread. A foreign journalist intending to report on Matković’s case received messages dissuading her from doing so, and police and the Security Intelligence Agency raided the homes of Matković’s friends and supporters, one of whom was five months pregnant.

We are appalled at the threats Matković, his family and friends, and now a journalist, have faced. They are attacks on the right to freedom of speech. We express our solidarity with Matković and everyone who faces repression for raising legitimate questions about the benefits to ordinary people and the damage to the environment of this plan to mine lithium in Serbia.

Signatories

Dr Marco Abram, Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa

Jack Ainsworth, activist & organiser, UK

Dr Vesna S. Aleksić, Institute for Recent History of Serbia, Belgrade

Dr Bojan Aleksov, University College London, UK

Tariq Ali, writer and social activist, UK

Dr. Dario Azzellini, ILR School, Cornell University, Ithaca, US

Dr. C. Brannon Andersen, Rose J. Forgione Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Sustainability Sciences, Furman University, US

Sydeny Andersen, graduate student, Northern Arizona University, US

Dr Vladimir Andric, Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia

Mohsen Anvaari, IT consultant, Norway

Dr Raia Apostolova, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Bulgaria

Dr Rory Archer, University of Vienna, Austria

JP Arellano, activist & organizer, Mexico

Alaitz Aritza, Researcher and Lecturer, Modul University, Austria

Professor Jovo Bakić, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Loren Balhorn, Editor-in-Chief, Jacobin Magazin, Germany

Petar Bankov, University of Glasgow, UK and Diversia Collective, Bulgaria

Dr Mads Barbesgaard, Lund University, Sweden

Amelie Bauer, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany

Walden Bello, Focus on the Global South, Philippines

Dr Stephanie Bender, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany

Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies, US

Dr Sara Bernard, University of Glasgow, UK

Myriam Best, ICTA Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain

Heinz Bierbaum, Executive Chair of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Germany

Patrick Bond, Centre for Social Change, University of Johannesburg

Professor Chiara Bonfiglioli, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice 

Professor (Jun) SM Borras, International Institute of Social Studies

Jean Leon Boucher, The James Hutton Institute, UK

Odette Brady, Writer, Spain

Professor Čarna Brković, University of Meinz, Germany

Dr Andrea Brock, University of Sussex

Anton Brokow-Loga, Bauhaus University, Weimar, Germany  

Dr Hubert Buch-Hansen, Roskilde University, Denmark

Vlad Bunea, author & activist, Canada

Emilio Bunge, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, IDS-Sussex

Dr Mark H Burton, co-founder, Steady State Manchester

Dr Ankica Čakardić, University of Zagreb, Croatia

Dr Anna Calori, University of Glasgow, UK

John Cavanagh, Institute for Policy Studies, US

Dr Jens Christiansen, Lund University, Sweden

Miljenko Cimesa, Croatia

Dr. Jessica Collins-Bojovic, School of Social Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia

Dr. Marta Conde, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain

Dr Nada Ćosić, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Dr Muriel Côte, Lund University, Sweden

Dr Guy Crawford, Queen’s University, Canada

Professor Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailović, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš & Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Emilija Cvetković, Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia

Özlem Demirel, MEP, Germany

Carla Denyer, MP, UK

Professor Dejan Djokić, Maynooth University, Ireland

Professor Danijela Dolenec, University of Zagreb, Croatia

Steven Donziger, attorney, US

Sonja Dragović, PhD candidate, ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon, and LeftEast platform

Kalina Drenska, LevFem, Bulgaria

Gisela Duetting, anthropologist, The Netherlands

Maria Cariola Eriksson, University of Copenhagen, Denmark 

Anuschka Erkemeij, Birkbeck, University of London 

Professor David Featherstone, University of Glasgow 

Andrew Feinstein, former ANC MP, investigative author & campaigner, UK

Leanna First-Arai, Environmental Journalist and PhD Researcher, University College Dublin

Tonié Field – Degrowth Network Australia

Laura Flanders, author & broadcaster, New York City, US

Dr Katy Fox, independent researcher, Luxembourg

Rosie Ganino, Melbourne, Australia

Dr Melissa García Lamarca, Lund University, Sweden

Lindsey German, writer and campaigner, Counterfire, UK

Dr Julian Germann, University of Sussex, UK

Dr. Luciana Ghiotto – Transnational Institute researcher, academic and teacher, Argentina. 

Professor Emily Gilbert, University of Toronto, Canada

Sandra Gonzalez de la Vega Gonzalez, Melbourne, Australia 

Victoria Grau, Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany

Raffaele Guarino, PhD Student, Parthenope University of Naples, Italy

Kenneth Haar, Corporate Europe Observatory

Dr Emese Hall, University of Exeter, UK

Professor Adam Hanieh, University of Exeter, UK

Distinguished Professor, David Harvey, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, US

Dr. Luis Herranz, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain

Maximilian Hofmann, Queen Mary University of London, UK

Dr. Corinna Hölzl, HU Berlin

Eva Horáčková, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona alumna

Srećko Horvat, philosopher, Croatia

Sanja Horvatinčić, Institute of Art History, Croatia

Dr Saša Ilić, senior research associate, Belgrade, Serbia

Dr Volodymyr Ishchenko, FU Berlin, Germany

Dr Mariya Ivancheva, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK and LeftEast platform

Linda Ivanova, Communications Consultant, Germany 

Dr Anne Jacobi, Kassel, Germany

Dr Jostein Jakobsen, University of Oslo, Norway

Myfan Jordan, Grassroots Research Studio

Professor Carolyn Kagan ,Steady State Manchester

Anna F. Kalhorn, TU Wien, Austria

Hannah Kass, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Professor Gal Kirn, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Dr Višnja Kisić, Forest University, Fruška Gora

Dr. Philipp Klaus, International Network for Urban Research and Action, INURA Common Office, Zurich, Switzerland

Višnja Kljajić, architect, Zagreb, Croatia.

Goda Klumbyte, Kassel, Germany

Miriam Knödler, farmer and student at Umeå University, Sweden

Dr Milica Kočović De Santo, Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia

Dr Matthias Kranke, Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), University of Freiburg, Germany

Dr Katarina Kušić, University of Vienna

Jere Kuzmanić, UPC Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain

Enzo Lara-Hamilton, Research Support, University of Melbourne, Australia

Clive Lewis MP, UK

Vincent Liegey, coordinator of Cargonomia, degrowth research cooperative, Budapest

Jessica de Souza Lipinski, master student at Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona

Patrick Loftus, writer, US

Milica Lukić, Research Associate, University of Belgrade – Faculty of Geography

Dr. Manuel Lutz, Stattbau, Berlin, Germany

Lily Lynch, Editor-in-Chief of Balkanist, US

Dr. Nicolas P.L. Magnard, Leiden university, Netherlands

Professor Siniša Malešević, University College, Dublin, Ireland

Dr Anita Malhotra, School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, UK

Dr Andreas Malm, Lund University, Sweden

Prof. Miguel A. Martinez, Uppsala University

Francesco Martone, TNI associate

Dr Marija Maruna, Faculty of Architecture University of Belgrade, Serbia

Dr. Bojana Matejic, University of Arts in Belgrade, Faculty of Fine Arts

Maiko Mathiesen, R&D International / Degrowth Estonia

James Meadway, economist, UK

Dr. Tomislav Medak, independent researcher, Zagreb, Croatia

Filipe Medeiros, University of Bergen, Norway

Professor Branko Milanović, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, US

Dr Marko Miljković, Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia

Dr Goran Musić, University of Vienna, Austria

Dr. María Consuelo Revilla Nebreda, Chemical Engineer, Dresden, Germany

Anitra Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, University of Melbourne, Australia

Professor Susan Newman, Open University, UK

Dallas O’Dell, London School of Economics, UK

Stefanie Ortmann, senior lecturer in IR at the University of Sussex

Nicolás Palacios, ETH Zurich

Lucas Pannier retired master special education Belgium 

Eleni Pappa, Phd fellow, Department of Food and resource economics, University of Copenhagen

Dr Adam Patrick Marshall, UK

Dr Juliette Peers, Central Victoria, Australia [art historian/curator/writer Sheila Foundation for Women in the Arts, Gippsland Art Gallery] 

Professor Katarina Peović, University of Rijeka, Croatia

Dr Angela Pérez, FAU, Germany

Adela Petrović, PhD candidate, Charles University, Czechia

Professor Emeritus Michel Pimbert, University of Coventry, UK

Dragan Plavsic, University of Hertfordshire, UK

Adrien Plomteux, PhD candidate, University College London

Dr Ana Poças, TU Delft, Netherlands

Prof. Dr. Milica Popovic, University of Belgrade – Faculty of Chemistry, Serbia 

Tanja Potežica, Bauhaus University, Weimar, Germany

Vijay Prashad

Dr Milica Prokic, University of Strathclyde, UK

Francois Questiaux, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Sanaz Raji, ISRF Scholar Fellow & Visiting Researcher, Northumbria University, UK

Dr. Vasna Ramasar, Lund University, Sweden

Giacomo Ravaioli, PhD Candidate at University of Lisbon

Thomas Reifer, TNI associate

Dr Katharina Richter, University of Bristol, UK

Dr Melanie Richter-Montpetit, University of Sussex

Thea Riofrancos, Professor of Political Science, US

Dr Francesca Rolandi, University of Florence, Italy

Nicolas Rolle, ETH Zurich, Switzerland 

Dr Steven Rolf, University of Sussex, UK

Dr Sergio Ruiz Cayuela, ICTA – Autonomous University of Barcelona

Dr. Alberto Matarán Ruiz, Professor University of Granada, Spain

Ana Miljanović Rusan, master student at Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Germany/Croatia

Dr. Rebecca Rutt, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Mgtr. Alex Samaniego, ICTA Autonomous University of Barcelona. Ecuador.

Dr Catherine Samary, researcher in political economy, France

Katherine G. Sammler, University of Twente

Inge Schrijver, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, the Netherlands

Dr Kate Shaw, urban geographer, University of Melbourne, Australia

Alan Fortuny Sicart, Lead Data Scientist at leonardo. and global justice activist

Dr.Eugene Simonov, UNSW and Rivers without Boundaries International Coalition Coordinator, Australia.    

Zoran Skala, Transition initiative TIKO, Krk, Climate ambassador European Climate Pact

Dr Ivan Smiljanić, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Dr Annemarie Sorescu-Marinković, Institute for Balkan Studies, Belgrade

Dr. Arwen Spicer, Portland State University, US

Sergey Steblev, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain

Professor Julia Steinberger, University of Lausanne

Niloufar Tajeri, Technical University Berlin, Germany

Dr. Mariko Takedomi Karlsson, Lund University, Sweden

Dr. Mary N. Taylor, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, US

Stoyo Tetevenski, PhD fellow, Sofia University, Bulgaria

Tanguy Tomes, Debt for Climate, Spain

Dr Goran Tomka, Forest University, Fruška Gora

Professor Adam Tooze, Columbia University, US

Emilie Tricarico, European Environmental Bureau, Brussels, Belgium

Dr Vladimir Unkovski-Korica, University of Glasgow, UK

Esther Vallado, Asociación Biodiversa, Spain

Achin Vanaik, TNI associate, India  

Dr. Aaron Vansintjan, Food Secure Canada

Dr Ana Vilenica, University of Torino, Italy

Hans Volmary, Technical University of Dresden, Germany

Dr Tibor T. Meszmann, CELSI, Bratislava

Dr Alexander Vorbrugg, University of Bern, Switzerland

Professor Radina Vučetić, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Dr Aleksandra Vučković, University of Belgrade, Serbia 

Sarah Ware, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria

Damien Carême, MEP, France

Sebastian Everding, MEP, Germany

Hanna Gedin, MEP, Sweden