The Ecological Uprising organization said on Thursday that the Serbian government had engaged an American company to lobby in favor of Rio Tinto’s Jadar project.
The project drew mass protests forcing the government to change spatial plans for the Jadar area, effectively preventing the plans to mine lithium in western Serbia.
Ecological Uprising released documents in English and Serbian which it claims prove that the Jadar project has not been stopped. The documents are alleged to be from the Randon Group whose owner John Randon is experienced in handling strategic projects and restoring politicial and relations between mining companies and the public.
The organization is demanding confirmation or denial of its claims about the Randon Group from President Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian government.
Prime Minister Ana Brnabic denied knowing anything about Randon Group’s engagement. “I have no information about that. I don’t know the man,” she told a news conference.
The Intelligence Online portal said in June 2023 that “John W. Rendon, head of the eponymous public relations firm Rendon Group, has been helping the Serbian government in its negotiations with Kosovo and relations with Russia”.
