The people of Krivel in eastern Serbia live on one of the largest copper deposits in Europe. The copper mine is owned by the Chinese company “Zi Jin Copper” and is constantly expanding. Life in the village becomes extremely difficult: the air is bad, and growing fruits and vegetables is no longer possible. Back in 2018, the residents were promised a fair resettlement, but at the moment this commitment has not been fulfilled, Deutsche Welle reports.
All that is left of nature there is the river. When the Chinese mine operator flattens the village’s riverbed to allow its trucks to make their way to another copper and gold mining site, the villagers are fed up. Since then, a poster at the entrance to Crivel has called for a blockade.
According to the Chinese company, the villagers’ protests are affecting work at the open-pit mine. The blockade cuts off supplies to the mines.
The dispute between local residents and the Chinese company has been going on for years. The prices that the company offers to the villagers for their lands are much lower than the usual market prices. Most residents have resigned themselves to the thought that they will have to move, says journalist Sasha Trifunovic. But where? The place where the people of Krivel and two other villages will be settled in the future is far from ready.
“Deutsche Vele” asked the mayor Aleksandar Milikic for a comment. He initially agreed to an interview, but soon after was no longer available. Villagers say ignoring the media or other dialogue partners is a typical approach from the official side. They want to blockade the village until someone finally listens to them.
Zi Jin Copper owns three copper mines, a limestone quarry and various processing plants in Serbia. It is one of the largest exporters of copper in the country. And now it has asked the Serbian government for additional licenses for copper mining.
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