EU and Serbia sign lithium deal
The European Union is set to participate in the mining of lithium in Serbia's Jadar Valley. A corresponding agreement was signed on Friday in the presence of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and EU Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič. The highly coveted light metal is a particularly critical component in electric car batteries. Environmentalists and voices in the press criticise the deal.
Resources instead of values
Germany is clearly willing to turn a blind eye on many things when lithium is at stake, Vreme notes:
“It is also striking that the western - and eastern - countries are setting aside all their scruples and concerns when it comes to energy and resources. Oil, gas, lithium, and cobalt are categories that respect neither the famous 'European values' nor any other values. In spite of all that is going on, Germany and the EU continue to import Russian energy products on a large scale, albeit via resellers. They reportedly buy gas from Azerbaijan and oil from India which in both cases is imported from Russia. ... There's no point in being disappointed with the European Union or reminding Scholz of 'European values' as long as Vučić is offering him hard currency.”
Capable of strategic action
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung sees several advantages to the lithium deal:
“Firstly, it can help Europe reduce its dependence on Chinese battery production. ... Secondly, tighter economic ties can prevent Serbia from becoming too involved with Moscow and Beijing. ... Thirdly, it will motivate Vučić not to play a destructive role in the dispute with Kosovo. ... German and European foreign policy is often criticised for not being strategic and not defending its own interests properly. ... Scholz's trip to Belgrade shows that it can when it wants to.”