Environmental Group Files Criminal Complaints Over Mining Exploration on Serbia’s Rogozna Mountain

NOVI PAZAR, Serbia — The Organization for Political Ecology (Polekol) has escalated its campaign against mineral extraction activities in southwestern Serbia, filing formal legal complaints against Zlatna Reka Resources and its leadership. The move comes amid growing concerns over alleged environmental degradation caused by geological exploration for gold and base metals on the rugged Rogozna mountain.

Zlatna Reka Resources, a subsidiary of the Australian mining firm Strickland Metals, has been conducting exploration activities near the city of Novi Pazar. For months, local residents and activists have raised alarms regarding the potential contamination of local soil and water sources, as well as the long-term impact on the health of both human populations and livestock in the region.

A Pattern of Alleged Irregularities

Following an extensive period of investigative work and data gathering, Polekol officially filed a report with the competent inspection authorities, alongside a criminal complaint against unnamed executives and the parent legal entity. The legal challenge centers on the suspected failure to implement mandatory environmental protection measures—a breach of Article 261 of the Serbian Criminal Code.

The situation on the ground remains contentious. Although a geological inspection previously identified irregularities and issued a mandate for corrective measures, both Polekol and the local activist group Ne damo Rogoznu (“We won’t give up Rogozna”) assert that these problems remain unresolved.

Polekol is now demanding that state authorities conduct independent water and soil testing at sites where unsecured ponds containing drilling mud and hazardous waste were located. They argue these measures are vital to determine whether the local ecosystem has been compromised and whether nearby settlements face an imminent health risk.

“We are calling on the geological inspection to utilize its full legal mandate to identify responsibility and impose sanctions for these violations,” the organization stated.

Demands for Permit Revocation

Beyond immediate legal action, Polekol has issued a stark ultimatum to the Ministry of Mining and Energy: the ministry must refuse to extend Zlatna Reka Resources’ permit for geological exploration. In the event that an extension has already been granted, the group is calling for the immediate revocation of the permit due to the company’s persistent failure to comply with safety standards.

The tension surrounding the mining exploration on Rogozna mountain is part of a broader national debate regarding the rapid expansion of the mining sector in Serbia.

A Growing National Conflict

Polekol emphasized that the Rogozna situation is far from an isolated case, pointing to parallel environmental battles in eastern Serbia. In the areas of Homolje and Malka Golaja, near Zaječar, companies like the China-based Zijin Mining have faced intense scrutiny.

Forestry inspectors previously confirmed that Zijin Mining illegally cleared over 11 hectares of protected forest in the Malka Golaja region. While the company initially appealed an order to remove its machinery from the site, the appeal was rejected, forcing compliance. For activists, these incidents reflect a troubling pattern of industrial negligence that they argue the Serbian government must address with stricter enforcement and greater transparency.

As the legal battle regarding Rogozna progresses, the case serves as a litmus test for Serbia’s environmental oversight, pitting the economic promise of mineral extraction against the fundamental right to a clean and safe environment.