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.
Letter of support
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
Jonas Sjöstedt, MEP, Sweden
