Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta, head of the Ecological Uprising parliamentary group, has urged the mayor of Dimitrovgrad, Vladica Dimitrov, and the city council to oppose the planned lignite mine near the village of Mazgoš and to abandon the project. He warned that the mine, covering 20 hectares with four hectares designated as a waste dump, threatens the local water supply for the entire Dimitrovgrad area. According to the project, approximately 1.1 million tons of lignite would be extracted, requiring around 80 coal-laden trucks to pass through the town daily.
Jovanović noted that a recent public hearing on the project drew a record turnout, with residents voicing strong opposition to water, soil, and air pollution, emphasizing that their children must continue living in the area. He compared the defense of Mazgoš to past efforts to protect the rivers of Stara Planina from small hydropower projects.
The area slated for mining hosts numerous farms, including one of Serbia’s largest donkey farms, goat farms, a dairy company producing traditional cheeses, as well as beekeepers and families involved in subsidized tourism. Jovanović highlighted that the project is backed by the company “Vuković – Benz” in cooperation with officials linked to the Ministry of Mining and Energy.
He stressed that locals are firmly against the mine and warned that any attempt to proceed would face resistance similar to the opposition against hydropower developers. “By law, they have no right to destroy nature or build on land that doesn’t belong to them. When the state fails to enforce the law, citizens must step in,” Jovanović said. He called on people in Serbia, especially residents of Dimitrovgrad and Mazgoš, to rise up to protect the area.
