UN OFFICIALS WARN OF CATASTROPHE: Serbia allows mines to poison villages and silences activists!

The village of Krivelj bears a disproportionate share of the negative impact of mining activities – polluted air and water, damaged crops, and a growing number of cancer patients. Activists who warn about the Jadar project face intimidation and criminal charges.

The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights concluded its ten-day visit to Serbia, presenting preliminary findings in which they express serious concern about the impact of business activities on communities, the environment, and human rights.

The purpose of the visit, during which the working group held meetings in Belgrade, Bor, Loznica, Novi Sad, and Zrenjanin, was to assess how the Government and the business sector fulfill their obligations and responsibilities in accordance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP).

As a result of the visit to the Republic of Serbia, the working group will submit a complete report to the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2026.

Weak enforcement and supervision of law implementation UN experts pointed to the limited number of investigations into alleged human rights violations by businesses, weak enforcement of environmental protection laws, as well as exemptions from the application of regulations in cases of implementing projects of national importance, such as EXPO 2027 and large mining projects.

They stated that there is a „lack of awareness about business and human rights issues within the institutional framework,” as well as a worrying pattern indicating “weak enforcement of the law,” adding that „the possibility for companies to continue their activities without all necessary permits, as we have seen in several cases, including the company Zijin, represents a worrying trend and an absence of state measures to ensure accountability for business activities.“

Bor and Krivelj: Risks to people and the environment cannot be ignored

Special attention was paid to the problems in Bor and the village of Krivelj, where the mining company Zijin operates. Residents of the area pointed to polluted air and water, damaged crops and livestock, as well as significant health problems, including a growing number of cancer patients.

According to UN experts, „the village of Krivelj bears a disproportionate share of the negative impact of heavy metal pollution, compromised water, livestock, and agriculture,“ concluding that „the resulting risks to people and the environment cannot be ignored.“

The statement highlights the lack of transparency regarding emissions and new substances that Zijin uses in mining activities and their effect on the health of the population, as well as limited access to toxicological testing, noting that penalties for violating environmental protection regulations remain minimal.

Absence of effective consultations and limited access to justice

The experts point to cases of inadequate inclusion of vulnerable communities in decision-making processes when converting agricultural land into construction land for the benefit of private companies and expropriation that often occurs without adequate compensation. They are particularly concerned about legal provisions that allow expropriation for private purposes.

UN experts point out that even when human rights risks are recognized, „the process of relocation and payment of compensation offered to them is long, with the absence of genuine dialogue with the communities,“ citing the example of the minority Vlach community in Krivelj and other areas.

They also express great concern that the Ministry of Justice refused to cooperate during their visit, describing their conduct as a “serious question about the extent to which that ministry has any interest in the need for effective access to remedy for human rights violations in the context of business and may indicate a concerning lack of work on enabling the legal system to protect its rights holders from business activities of enterprises.”

Jadar: No genuine participation of local communities and proceedings against activists

In its findings, the Working Group particularly highlighted the deeply disturbing pattern of intimidation, legal harassment, and exclusion of civil society and local communities from decision-making processes related to large mining projects.

It was noted that the Jadar project, planned by the company Rio Tinto, illustrates continued legal uncertainty and unclear application of the law, marked by minimal involvement of the local population in all planning phases, especially during the preparation and adoption of the Spatial Plan for the realization of the Jadar project. The experts emphasized that previous consultations with local communities appear to have been mere formalities, and did not enable the real and genuine participation of the population.

The experts also pointed to a particularly worrying trend of initiating legal proceedings against activists, known globally as so-called “SLAPP” cases, by public officials and companies. They expressed particular concern regarding reports of intimidation, smear campaigns, surveillance, and physical attacks on members of civil society organizations and human rights defenders who publicly spoke out against harmful business practices, including reported cases of detention and criminal charges against activists opposing the Jadar project, pointing to serious risks to the environment and public health.

Protection of human rights as a prerequisite for development

The experts particularly highlighted their concern regarding the claim by the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights that they „have never received a complaint about a human rights violation by a public or private enterprise,“ which indicates a worrying lack of awareness, and even a sense of complacency on this topic. The experts emphasized that the respect and protection of human rights are prerequisites for sustainable development, not an obstacle. Therefore, it is the state’s duty to ensure transparency, accountability, and enable independent oversight regarding environmental protection during the implementation of all projects.

The full end-of-mission statement is available HERE.