Ongoing Summit on Strategic Raw Materials in Belgrade; Vučić: "An important day is ahead of us" PHOTO

The Summit on critical raw materials is underway in the Palace of Serbia.

Brnabić: Serbia is hosting an important summit where it is decided what will drive the world

The Speaker of the Parliament of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, said that the fact that today, during the visit of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Summit on strategic raw materials is being held in Serbia, shows how much Serbia's position in the world has changed for the better, thanks to strategic raw materials such as lithium.

"Finally, and perhaps for the first time, we as Serbia are not looking at a summit on strategic raw materials where it will be decided what will drive Europe and European industry, as well as the world for the next century. We are no longer on the sidelines, we are now the ones who they are talking to. We are hosting such a summit," she pointed out to RTS.

She stated that, among others, the head of Mercedes Benz, the president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, key people in the German Development Bank KfW, then the Italian Development Bank and many others will be present at the summit.

"Today at the summit, the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Union and Serbia on the strategic partnership on sustainable raw materials, battery production chains and electric vehicles is on the table. It is the entire value chain and with this we clearly say that the raw materials will not be exported. We are a country of values, not the land of raw materials," she emphasized.

She added that Serbia wants to use these raw materials to create value for all its citizens.

"This means that batteries are made here, that electric vehicles are made here and they are exported from Serbia, that large energy storage systems are made here and that everything that will move Europe and the world in the next 100 years is made here, because in the next century, it is no longer oil, but lithium and everything that is made from lithium that will matter", said Brnabić.

She pointed out that Serbia is finally not on the margins, but is becoming a decision-making center, at least for Europe. According to her, lithium will, of course, be mined in other countries as well, but the reserves that Serbia has are significant, and that is why our country has a chance to decide on the energy stability and security of the whole of Europe, which is a matter of our national security.

"The dilemma here is whether we will be the ones importing strategic products such as batteries, energy storage systems, electric vehicles, or we will be the ones exporting all strategic products in the next 100 years," Brnabić pointed out.

The summit on critical raw materials has started in Belgrade

Today, the Summit on Critical Raw Materials began in the Palace of Serbia, attended by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Olaf Scholz, and the Vice-President of the European Commission and the European Commissioner for Inter-Institutional Relations and Strategic Foresight, Maroš Šefčovič.

On the eve of the trilateral meeting and the beginning of the Summit in Belgrade, Vučić, Scholz and Šefčović walked in front of the Palace of Serbia. Representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, KfW, the Italian Development Bank, Mercedes-Benz and members of the Government of Serbia will also attend the Summit.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that in Belgrade he will discuss issues of great importance for Serbia with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, stressing that today will greatly "influence numerous aspects of the future" of Serbia and give "a strong impetus to the strengthening of relations between Serbia and Germany".

After the Summit, Serbia and the EU will sign a Strategic Partnership Memorandum on sustainable raw materials, battery production chains and electric vehicles.