The European Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to a strategic partnership with Serbia on raw materials, despite rising tensions with Serbia’s populist government, EuroNews reported on August 20.

Tensions have been fuelled by Serbia's ties with Russia and accusations that Western powers are behind recent protests against a planned lithium mine, which culminated in a massive demonstration in Belgrade on August 10.

Last week, Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin visited Moscow for a series of high-level meetings. In response, the EU urged Serbia to reconsider its close relationship with Russia, highlighting that maintaining such ties is incompatible with EU values.

The situation was further exacerbated by Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic's public alignment with Moscow. On August 9, Vucic thanked Russia's intelligence services for alerting him to a foreign-led coup attempt, a narrative that mirrors Russian warnings of Western plots to destabilise the region.

The European Commission has firmly rejected these claims. “The European Union absolutely rejects any allegations that it would be involved in any kind of illegal or illegitimate activities linked to foreign interference,” said Peter Stano, the Commission’s foreign affairs spokesperson.

In July, the EU signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Serbia on a strategic partnership for raw materials; namely, lithium. Despite the EU’s support for the project, the government in Belgrade has continued to allege that the West is behind the protests. 

Despite Belgrade's increasingly hostile rhetoric, the EU is reiterating its support for Serbia's government when it comes to lithium. A spokesperson for the EU told EuroNews that the bloc remains "fully committed" to the strategic partnership, even as Serbia's close ties with Russia and anti-Western rhetoric strain relations.

Recent events indicate that the EU is willing to turn a blind eye when economic interests are at stake. Serbia has the critical raw materials essential for mobile batteries and electric vehicles, crucial for the EU's green transition. In return, the EU is limiting its criticism of Serbia to vague warnings and platitiudes about upholding European values.